Geopolitics: updates to essays

The global political crisis continues to snowball.   These just in.

(1) Of renewed relevance, now that (in our estimation) ISIL’s basic strategy  is nothing to banal as to seize Damascus or what have you -- but to foment an interconfessional World War:

Nor did the Germans or anyone else have any idea how deadly and how interminable the conflict would turn out to be:  soldiers from several nations marched off to the front with cockades on their caps, figuring the bloody thing would be over and done with  in time for tiffin.

[ See http://worldofdrjustice.blogspot.com/2013/01/mental-health-and-gun-control-updated.html ]

(2)  Re “What to call the ISIL”: now this:

Les autorités françaises, fer de lance dans la guerre contre l'organisation de l'État islamique, ont officiellement adopté l’acronyme "Daech" pour désigner l’EI dans leurs discours officiels. Une décision qui n'a rien d'anodin.

http://www.france24.com/fr/20140916-daech-etat-islamique-EI-hollande-fabius-france/

[ See http://worldofdrjustice.blogspot.com/2014/09/francophonic-footnote-to-what-to-call.html ]

(3)  They’re getting closer …

The largest counter-terrorism operation in Australian history,

Police allege the suspects were planning to snatch and behead a random member of the public, then drape them in the flag of Islamic State.

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/terrorism-raids-carried-out-across-sydney-brisbane-20140918-10igft.html

[ See http://worldofdrjustice.blogspot.com/2014/09/on-psycho-theatrics-of-beheadings.html ]

(4) Not shuffling, but compressing the deck:

[Update 19 September 2014]  In light of yesterday’s events in Sydney … The order of vulnerability listed above  remains valid;  but the overall level of threat is now further elevated.  Further, the practical distance beween adjacent levels may well be compressed, given the potential for the face-off between civilizations to go global rather quickly.

[ See http://worldofdrjustice.blogspot.com/2014/09/the-islamic-state-911-2014.html ]

(5)  Historical forerunners:

Hitler was a master of diplomatic intransigence. 

In the run-up to Munich, Neville Chamberlain scurried around Europe trying to put together a package of Czech surrender that would satisfy the dictator, and finally managed one -- or so he thought.   He went back with his sacrificial offering, beaming…

[See http://worldofdrjustice.blogspot.com/2014/06/the-power-of-intransigence.html ]

(6)  News  tailored to your individual tastes:

From this perspective, we can conveniently assess the results of yesterday's referendum:

Scotland just voted unanimously for independence !!

For, anyone who voted against independence  is No True Scotsman.

[ See http://worldofdrjustice.blogspot.com/2011/12/no-true-scotsman.html ]

(7) What the “F-word” is, depends on where you live.   Here, the latest from Switzerland:

Der dunkle Schatten des F-Worts

Mit dem Faschismusvorwurf verschärfen die SP und die BDP ihre politische Gangart markant.

«Die Politik der SVP der letzten Monate hat klar faschistoide Tendenzen», sagte Levrat. Damit ist Levrat nach BDP-Präsident Landolt der zweite Chef einer Bundesratspartei, der die SVP in die Faschismus-Ecke stellt.

http://www.nzz.ch/schweiz/der-dunkle-schatten-des-f-worts-1.18385772

[ See http://worldofdrjustice.blogspot.com/2014/06/f-word-of-day-fournee.html ]

(8) Instructions for confronting a surly mob:  beat breast and apologize.

Here, apologize no longer means ‘to express repentent regret for something bad one has done’, since the man in question had done nothing wrong to begin with.  Rather, it means ‘to grovel for reasons of political correctness; to genuflect in the direction of a victims’ lobby’.

[ See: http://worldofdrjustice.blogspot.com/2014/06/in-forecast-scattered-apologies-heavy.html ]