There is no time to waste. Urgency cannot be understated.

Companies need to convert any greenhouse gas emitting energies to renewable sources as soon as possible. Countries need to adopt alternative energies as well. 

China makes some of the most inexpensive solar panels globally; its cost to replace fossil fuels with renewable energies should be easier than most other countries.

This problem should have been solved half a century ago by identifying renewable energies and automobiles with drastically reduced CO2 emissions. It is not 1960s anymore and the urgency has never been greater. Not to appear ungrateful, but, time is of the essence. No more waiting. The very citizens in countries need relief from this monsterous climate.

December 8, 2015
By Stanley Reed

Paris — Unilever. Total. Bank of America. Patagonia. Ikea. (click here) Some of the world’s largest companies — and brands — announced their commitment on Tuesday to cutting carbon emissions and participating in practices that would support sustainable energy.
Speaking at The New York Times Energy for Tomorrow conference, being held in concurrence with the international climate talks outside Paris, executives from a number of companies said they accepted the need to help reduce the carbon dioxide emissions blamed for global warming.
Also, representatives of the Chinese government, the world’s No. 1 carbon emitter, released new climate goals that called for a substantial buildup of alternative energy sources like wind and solar. 
To be sure, the executives were self-selective, agreeing to appear on panels because of their interest in embracing climate goals, which are being intensely discussed by representatives of 195 countries at a converted airplane hangar north of Paris in Le Bourget. The deadline for a deal is Friday....

In recognizing the fact violent attacks on Americans are multitier for the deaths the killer(s) seek, Governors should put the National Guard on alert when one occurs. It just seems to me the larger assault on emergency responders and/or a disabling bomb threat called into a hospital, the killers are measuring the response and it's limit in order to exploit those limits. Given the threats by terrorist groups against the USA there could be a larger problem hidden within the initial attack.

I would expect leaders of the global community would plan for such blossoming of attacks in a country. If a mass killing occurs there is every reason to believe there are more innocent people in the plans of terrorists. While police can handle most if not all of the danger lone wolf attacks, there may be a larger picture that might overwhelm that capacity.

At the point where the National Guard in the USA would actually be deployed it would be nothing short of declaring a police state. That would be the discretion of others, but, I think those scenarios are a matter of preparedness as well as the drills first responders practice on a regular basis..

Homeland Security should provide workshops for Governors that would place them in a scenario where the National Guard would be deployed and a police state is possible. I just think the USA can't be too careful considering the danger that played out in San Bernardino.

Hello? The GOP actually has a problem with Donald Trump. Really?

I am sure the other candidates are upset because they didn't think about it first, but, politically Donald Trump can be ranked among the greats of the GOP.

Thursday, August 10, 2006
Green Bay, Wisconsin (CNN) -- President Bush (click here) said Thursday that an uncovered British terror plot to blow up planes flying to the United States was further proof "that this nation is at war with Islamic fascists."
Bush made a brief statement on the tarmac of the airport in Green Bay, Wisconsin, where he traveled to tour a local factory and to attend a Republican fundraiser.
British authorities arrested at least 21 people suspected of planning to use liquid explosives to destroy as many as 10 jetliners. U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said the suspects were in the final stages of the plot. (Full Story)
"This country is safer than it was prior to 9/11," Bush said. "We've taken a lot of measures to protect the American people. But obviously we still aren't completely safe, because there are people that still plot and people who want to harm us for what we believe in."
Bush's use of the term "Islamic fascists" was criticized by the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
"We believe that this is an ill-advised term and we believe that it is counterproductive to associate Islamic Muslims with fascism," the council's Executive Director Nihad Awad said at a Washington press conference....

Some good advise and advocacy would be nice. It just seems to me Spike Lee has the very same problem independent filmmakers can identify with. Perhaps Spike Lee should be making the rounds at international film festivals. It would be the place for people to wade into the film's content in a venue where controversy is welcome.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel does not ahve to worry about Chicago's reputation, economy or tourism from "Chiraq" when the public is more scared of the reality of it's police department.

Chiraq may have a movie to its name, but, it doesn't have a theater to play it. (click here)

"Chiraq" is a film, but, this is Chicago.

December 8, 2015
By Mitch Smith

Chicago — The Chicago police, (click here) facing almost daily protests and a newly announced Justice Department investigation, released footage Monday night showing a 38-year-old black man being shocked by a Taser and dragged down a hallway by officers in 2012...

The man, Philip Coleman, later died at a hospital. A county medical examiner noted trauma on Mr. Coleman’s body, but said his death had been caused by an allergic reaction to a medication given at the hospital. A lawyer for the Coleman family said he believed the repeated shocks contributed to Mr. Coleman’s death.

The officers’ treatment of Mr. Coleman, a college graduate whose family said he was having mental health problems, received a withering rebuke from Mayor Rahm Emanuel, whose handling of other police use-of-force cases has prompted calls for his resignation, and who has announced a series of policy changes and personnel moves in recent days as pressure mounted....

Pope Francis opens the Holy Year of Mercy jubilee.

Pope Francis opens the Holy Door to inaugurate the Jubilee Year of Mercy in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican Dec. 8. (CNS photo/Alessandro Bianchi, Reuters)

December 8, 2015
By Joshua J. McElwee

Vatican City

Pope Francis (click here) has launched his yearlong push for a global Catholic church of mercy and forgiveness, starting the Jubilee year focused on the subject by opening the holy door at St. Peter’s Basilica and calling for a church that always puts mercy before judgment.
In a solemn Mass attended by tens of thousands in a chilly St. Peter’s Square and marked by an unusually high security presence, the pontiff also praised the work of the Second Vatican Council and said the newly-opened Jubilee "compels us not to neglect the spirit which emerged" from that event.
"This Extraordinary Holy Year is itself a gift of grace," Francis said during the homily at the Mass. "To enter through the Holy Door means to rediscover the deepness of the mercy of the Father who welcomes all and goes out to meet everyone personally."
"How much wrong we do to God and his grace when we affirm that sins are punished by his judgment before putting first that they are forgiven by his mercy!" the pope exhorted.
"It is truly so," he said. "We have to put mercy before judgment, and in every case God’s judgment will always be in the light of his mercy."...

The screening practices of the federal government has to be extended to address the new threat of Daesh.

Leading the U.S. government’s consolidated (click here) approach to terrorism watchlisting/screening.

That’s what the Terrorist Screening Center, or TSC, is all about. Born out of the events of 9/11 and created in 2003, the TSC maintains the U.S. government’s consolidated Terrorist Watchlist—a single database of identifying information about those known or reasonably suspected of being involved in terrorist activity.

By supporting the ability of front-line screening agencies to positively identify known or suspected terrorists trying to obtain visas, enter the country, board aircraft, or engage in other activity, the consolidated Terrorist Watchlist is one of the most effective counterterrorism tools for the U.S. government.

Anyone with known contact with any Internet Daesh must be considered dangerous and included in screening practices. No exceptions.

Daesh is an international criminal organization with all the characteristics, including the sale of natural resources to support it's existence.

Where The West is losing its ability to combat domestic terrorism is allowing religious extremists validity in the face of their leaders stating where legitimate claims to Islam exists.

The leaders of any religion are most focused on the individuals standing and their right to living a life within the faith. When international criminals such as found in the organization Daesh claim to own the rightful place of religion while defaming other leadership, then their claim is lost to extremism and treason.

Legitimate leaders of religion come to The West to celebrate with their members. Recently, Pope Francis came to the USA and was joined by other religious leadership in a common ceremony intended to bring the faithful to an understanding of God's many faces. When someone like Pope Francis makes an effort to unite all faiths in recognition of a common God, that can't be ignored.

The efforts by Daesh is to dissolve that unity among faiths to protect their members from violence against one faith over another is simply wrong. Allowing Daesh an identity that stands for mass killings is to undermine every other faith on Earth, including Muslim.

Daesh is a criminal organization of Saddam Ba'athists. That is the proper identity of the extremist group and applies to those that join them.

The ideology of ABSOLUTE SPEECH is defeating the very constitutionality of it. We do not allow citizens to yell fire in an enclosed space that would result in stampedes and injuries and death. But, infiltration of Daesh to corrupt the values of young Muslims, is not met with any form of criminal control. 

Daesh is corrupting members of the Muslim faith in The West and there is no movement against it. The West is overstating it's values to Freedom of Speech when it allows a challenge to it's sovereign right to exist.

Internet sites that promote death as a way to hijacking democracies have to be shut down. Governments must stand with the leaders of Islam who promote peace and personal freedoms and safety, otherwise, such leaders become meaningless.

Daesh is a terrorist organization of Saddam Ba'athists. Contact with these criminals equate to deaths of citizens. If a country can't protect it's citizens from criminal organizations that recruit for the purpose of overthrowing governments then why bother recognizing sovereignty and allow anarchy to reign. There are countries in the world that are not equipped to handle extremists and will fall to this level of religious pressure.

The World Court can hold judicial case in absentia for any criminal identified as promoting the death of innocent people. That should be exercised to let the global community find such individuals and return them for the criminals they are.

This capacity of the World Court has been used before and sometimes within the country itself:

Amman, Jordan, Feb. 15 (AP) — A court on Wednesday (click here) sentenced Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the leader of the insurgent group in Iraq that calls itself Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia, and eight other men to death for plotting chemical attacks against sites in Jordan, including the United States Embassy....

I strongly suggest The West declare international terrorist by name and make it known those taking measures within that capacity to join and increase power of such criminals will be viewed as a direct threat to the sovereignty of a country and will be remanded to the World Court for processing.

If any country in the world has a right to measure and carry out extremism it is France. These violent attacks by individuals that claim they are Daesh or "Doing it for Syria" are criminals and they desire mass killings to bring about worship of their faux god.

In Saudi Arabia individuals that practice alliance with al Qaeda are found out and listed in an official capacity with their arrests to follow the publication of the list. This practice limits the listing as well to 30 or so citizens. The listing in recent times of small numbers of citizens only proves it's effectiveness. These individuals are put through remedial programs which can easily be considered 'de programming.' Saudi Arabia now has the challenge to find members of Daesh within it's society and will probably do so considering the hatred realized in these people.

Saudi Arabia is a monarchy where such decisions are far more simple than constitutional behavior of a Western Constitution, but, the basics are the same and can include Due Process.

The American family of Rizwan needs to speak out to their understanding of his household and how this happened.

His older brother must be heartbroken over the entire idea of striking at the heart of domestic peace. The attack by Rizwan and his wife speaks to the covert nature of their extremism. It is a concern and should serve every country to realize the very covert nature of this particular violence of Internet Daesh. At the same instance just because a brother is a US veteran does not mean his brother is a patriot.

This is interesting. I'll go so far as to say Daesh radicalization is capable of turning a patriot into a madman. I am sure Raheel loved his brother and admired his service to the USA, but, that changed with influence of extremism. I think the entanglements of religious extreme needs to be understood in this case. The trail may lead to a young woman confounded by freedom and access to weapons after being raised by an extremism elsewhere.

December 8, 2015
By Edward McAllister and Yasmeen Abutaleb

One brother (click here) liked to party and chase girls. After high school, moved by what he saw as his patriotic duty, he enlisted in the Navy and received two medals recognizing his contributions to "the global war on terror."

The other was deeply religious and became increasingly intolerant, ultimately nursing a growing hatred that led him, along with his wife, to open fire on a San Bernardino holiday party last week, in what law enforcement officials have termed a terrorist attack.

Syed Raheel Farook and his younger brother Syed Rizwan Farook grew up in the same house, attended the same high school two years apart and, as teenagers, often socialized in the same groups. But as they grew older their paths diverged....

It appears the difference revolves around their taste in women. Raheel was no different than his American peers while Rizwan rejected his peers.

...Rizwan is now dead, gunned down by police in Southern California after joining with his wife in killing 14 people and injuring 21. Raheel is alive and left to wonder what went wrong....

...But those who knew the brothers say that by high school, their differences were apparent and growing.

"Most people here go to mosque to please their parents," said Shakib Ahmed, who attended mosque with the Farooks.

Raheel, the older brother, was that kind of kid, he said. He went to Friday prayers, but he also liked to drink and had a girlfriend in high school who wasn't Muslim.

Rizwan was quieter and more serious - and far more religious. Only with his older brother, friends said, did they see Rizwan lose his temper.

"He was nice to everyone else, but he was kind of the dominating type. He would yell at his brother," Ahmed said....

Every American has the right to practice their religion on a regular basis as the pillars demand, but, it strongly seems as though devotion to Islam can estrange a person from their society. There has to be something here that defines 'a danger' to young Muslims when their world excludes the very culture they grow up in within The West.

I remember bin Laden stating Americans are nothing more than playboys. That is a problem because his holiness bin Laden is someone that stands for a schism within the faith. We have witnessed people stating this form of Islam is a cult as PRACTICED before within Islam. You'll excuse me but calling Daesh a cult rather than identifying them as Saddam Ba'athists seeking to live a full life rather than be apprehended to face a jury is more the reality.

Those calling Daesh a cult is legitimizing it's existence. It is a mistake to give any type of legitimate standing, even in the case of a cult, to international criminals hiding from the wrath of a global community while they encourage death as a reasonable response to a religion of peace found with Muslims.

There needs to be a hearing at the World Court to bring criminal status to Baghdadi and his cohorts. There needs to be tangible evidence to provide as proof of the determination of the criminal status of the Saddam Ba'athists now at large and hiding quite possibly in Turkey or other countries.

It should be assumed and brought to reality those entertaining this particular brand of violence need to be counted as a criminal as well. I don't see why Europe, in their constitutional laws, has to entertain radicals as an amusement and appearing as cartoons. Radicals that defend Daesh as a legitimate cult to power are nothing more than treasonists. When young Muslims get the message radicalization means prison and quite possibly death, they might even reject the Internet Daesh.

Australia has had this problem for a while now. Why allow it as a religious exemption of freedom of expression. That is nonsense. Extremism that preaches death as a pillar of their faith are treasonist. That has to be regarded as important when young people get on the net and entertain Internet Daesh as a legitimate religion. I don't think any country has to entertain hate speech that manifests as violence against others by hiding behind religious precepts. Muslim leaders are coming out stating violence against others is not within the faith. Back them up. Right now it is all talk with no action.

The 1965 killings are no joke. I can understand how people get upset.

December 8, 2015
The Jakarta Police have banned (click here) a reading and discussion of a drama script titled "Family Album: #50years1965" at the Jakarta Theater Festival (FTJ) that was scheduled to take place at Taman Ismail Marzuki (TIM), Central Jakarta, on Tuesday.

The police said they issued the prohibition because of fears of trouble from opponents of the event.

Letter No. B/19811/XII/2015/Datro states that the police refused to issue a permit as a result of pressure from a group calling itself the Jakarta Theater Family Who Cares for the Jakarta Theater Festival, which had previously informed the police about its plans to hold a rally in protest at the event.

FTJ project officer Malhamang Zamzam questioned the ban, saying such a move was difficult to understand. "It's weird because street rallies are common and we also have right to free speech. If the event fails because of the rally, that's OK. But if it's a result of a prohibition, I can't understand that," said Zamzam as quoted by Tempo.co on Tuesday.

According to Zamzam, there might have been some fear among the opponents who considered the drama script to relate to the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI), while in fact the activity would only be a historical drama script-writing workshop that referred to archives or studies, led by 10 scriptwriters....

The Jakarta police are rightfully concerned about the people who are upset. The police have a right to measure potential threats to stability. It is difficult to believe any person in Jakarta wants to relive this event. I would be surprised if the history of a country is used to raise militancy within it's borders by Internet Daesh. This is simply an effort by the Jakarta police to contain violence before it begins. I think it is a reasonable decision.

In the course of little more than five months (click here) from late 1965 to early 1966, anti-communist Indonesians killed about half a million of their fellow citizens. Nearly all the victims were associated with Indonesia's Left, especially with the Communist Party (PKI) that had risen to unprecedented national prominence under President Sukarno's Guided Democracy. The massacres were presided over and often coordinated or carried out by anti-communist sections of the Indonesian army, but they also engaged wider elements of Indonesian society - both people who had reason to fear communist power and people who wanted to establish clear anti-communist credentials in troubled times.

The killings followed a coup which took place in Jakarta on the morning of 1 October 1965 in which six senior army generals were killed and a revolutionary council was formed, seizing power from Sukarno. For the whole of the New Order period, Indonesian authorities portrayed these events as a communist grab for power, which was to be followed by the wholesale slaughter of their opponents. Sceptics, by contrast, doubted the PKI's involvement and even wondered whether the coup might have been a 'black' operation by conservative forces, intended to compromise the Party. Recent research, especially by John Roosa, who writes for this issue, has shown that the PKI leadership was closely involved in the coup, but that the aims of the operation were far more limited than a seizure of power....

The Jakarta Police have banned a reading and discussion of a drama script titled "Family Album: #50years1965" at the Jakarta Theater Festival (FTJ) that was scheduled to take place at Taman Ismail Marzuki (TIM), Central Jakarta, on Tuesday.

The police said they issued the prohibition because of fears of trouble from opponents of the event.

Letter No. B/19811/XII/2015/Datro states that the police refused to issue a permit as a result of pressure from a group calling itself the Jakarta Theater Family Who Cares for the Jakarta Theater Festival, which had previously informed the police about its plans to hold a rally in protest at the event.

FTJ project officer Malhamang Zamzam questioned the ban, saying such a move was difficult to understand. "It's weird because street rallies are common and we also have right to free speech. If the event fails because of the rally, that's OK. But if it's a result of a prohibition, I can't understand that," said Zamzam as quoted by Tempo.co on Tuesday.

According to Zamzam, there might have been some fear among the opponents who considered the drama script to relate to the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI), while in fact the activity would only be a historical drama script-writing workshop that referred to archives or studies, led by 10 scriptwriters. - See more at: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/12/08/jakarta-police-ban-discussion-1965-drama.html#sthash.ujGGS9gL.dpuf

There are some reportings of security issues in Indonesia.

The international response to Daesh is uniform. Countries have experienced deaths of citizens at the hand of Daesh. There is more and more indication that the global community are moving in a unified measure to end the influence and violence of Daesh. It is clear to state the pledges made within recent weeks by the international community is becoming a priority among most countries.

December 8, 2015
By Mari Yamaguchi

Japan launched (click here) a new counterterrorism unit in an air of secrecy Tuesday, with journalists only allowed to photograph its 24 members from behind.
The country is expanding its international espionage work after being shocked by the deaths of five Japanese citizens at the hands of Islamic militants this year. The recent Paris attacks have also raised fears ahead of a Group of Seven summit in Japan next year and the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2020.
It's mostly uncharted territory for Japan, which has never suffered a terror attack by outsiders in its modern history.
"The country is inexperienced, and its counterterrorism capability is untested," said Motonobu Abekawa, a former official at the Public Security Intelligence Agency and a terrorism studies expert at Nihon University. "People have long thought terrorist attacks are a distant problem abroad."
Japan began exploring ways to boost public safety and intelligence after the Islamic State group killed two Japanese hostages in Syria early this year. An attack on tourists at a museum in Tunisia later claimed three more Japanese lives....

Japan launched a new counterterrorism unit in an air of secrecy Tuesday, with journalists only allowed to photograph its 24 members from behind.
The country is expanding its international espionage work after being shocked by the deaths of five Japanese citizens at the hands of Islamic militants this year. The recent Paris attacks have also raised fears ahead of a Group of Seven summit in Japan next year and the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2020.
It's mostly uncharted territory for Japan, which has never suffered a terror attack by outsiders in its modern history.
"The country is inexperienced, and its counterterrorism capability is untested," said Motonobu Abekawa, a former official at the Public Security Intelligence Agency and a terrorism studies expert at Nihon University. "People have long thought terrorist attacks are a distant problem abroad."
Japan began exploring ways to boost public safety and intelligence after the Islamic State group killed two Japanese hostages in Syria early this year. An attack on tourists at a museum in Tunisia later claimed three more Japanese lives.
- See more at: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/12/08/japan-launches-anti-terrorism-unit-ahead-summit-olympics.html#sthash.tYJiExYo.dpuf

Mari Yamaguchi

Donald Trump is not making friends in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia has significant financial interests in the USA including media outlets and financial companies such as Carlyle. They aren't happy with the politics of Donald Trump. That might help his ratings with the Republican base. It is unknown at this point if leaders of Saudi Arabia recognize him as a threat will enhance his favored status in the GOP. Quite frankly I am surprised at this Saudi interest, but, it does state there are meaning to words spoken in the USA.

I will say this much, Saudi leadership is astounded by Trump. Their brevity to his words may be due to his special status among Republicans in that he is independently financed. There is no influence by outside funding, including Carlyle. This is all new ground to the Saudis.

Typically, Saudis are considered inside friends of any Republican leader. We all know the famous relationship with the Bushs to the Saudi royal family. This is a complete departure from that at a time when violence has increased in the middle east.

8 December 2015
Washington: Republican frontrunner Donald Trump (click here) called Monday for a “total and complete shutdown” of Muslims entering the United States, unleashing some of the most provocative and divisive remarks of his controversial presidential campaign.
The stunning statement followed last week’s mass shooting in California by a Muslim couple believed to have been radicalized by extremists, and landed with a thunderclap just as fellow presidential candidates were contemplating ways to improve national security.
His aides did not specify if the proposal would affect both tourists and immigrants, and did not say either if it would target American Muslims currently abroad....

Jordan is imposing new demands for visas out of Yemen. It is not unusual for Arab countries to focus on the movement of people into and out of their borders. That is also playing into the Saudi's decision about speaking out regarding Donald Trump's statements. The exclusion of certain people from moving across borders is a common practice, so Trump is hitting at the center of the religious. The counties in the middle east carry out visits to holy sites. When a country bans visas they are also prohibiting visits to holy sites and it matters.

December 7, 2015

 Amman — Jordan will again regulate (click here) the entry of Yemenis to the country and implement the concerned laws regarding their residency.

A letter issued by the Yemeni embassy in Jordan, a copy of which was made available to The Jordan Times, said Jordanian authorities informed the embassy of the decision on Monday.

Entry of Yemenis to Jordan will be “restricted” as they are required to obtain a visa before entry and pay the required fees for that, as indicated in the letter.

It added, however, that Yemeni diplomats will be exempted from this condition and they will not need an entry visa as of December 15, 2015....

It wouldn't surprise me if Donald Trump makes a trip to Saudi Arabia.

AMMAN — Jordan will again regulate the entry of Yemenis to the country and implement the concerned laws regarding their residency.

A letter issued by the Yemeni embassy in Jordan, a copy of which was made available to The Jordan Times, said Jordanian authorities informed the embassy of the decision on Monday.

Entry of Yemenis to Jordan will be “restricted” as they are required to obtain a visa before entry and pay the required fees for that, as indicated in the letter.

It added, however, that Yemeni diplomats will be exempted from this condition and they will not need an entry visa as of December 15, 2015.

- See more at: http://www.jordantimes.com/news/local/visa-requirement-re-imposed-yemenis#sthash.AXwPc5Jt.dpuf

Saudi Arabia is speaking out about the hatred building over attacks by Daesh.

RIYADH: The Cabinet at its weekly meeting on Monday condemned the assassination of the governor of Aden, the terror attacks in Chad and California, US....

The density of Muslim extremists are higher in the middle east than anywhere else in the world. It is questionable whether Muslims in Indonesia has problems. Currently, Indonesia is asking Saudi Arabia to increase domestic workers salaries.

December 6, 2015

Islamic State militants (click here) say they carried out a bombing that killed the governor of Yemen's port city of Aden.

Jaafar Mohammed Saad and several aides died when their convoy was hit. IS says it detonated a car laden with explosives as he drove by.
The group has established a presence in Yemen since its civil war broke out.
It is opposed to the government and Iranian-backed Houthi rebels who have seized much of the country, including the capital Sanaa.
Earlier this year, Aden was recaptured by government troops backed by a Saudi-led coalition....

This may be the first time such attacks have appeared in Yemen. Iran needs to get real about it's diaspora. What I find odd is that Daesh is stating it is responsible for this bombing. The Houthi rebels are Shi'ite. If Daesh is taking credit for this death it will be a different influence. That means the 'mix' in Yemen may be growing to resemble that of Syria. The particular denomination of Shia is Zaida.

What this claim by Daesh raises is the legitimacy of the militia. This level of violence is not typical of Daesh. They typically kill by vicious methods. If this is sincerely Daesh, it is a new method of assaulting the conscience in the middle east. It also raises Daesh to a new priority of concern. Daesh, up to now, has been understood as Sunni purists, but, this is different. It brings Daesh to a level of international criminal interested in displacing any leader in the middle east. That would result in anarchy even throughout the Shia Crescent.

IS has endeavoured to make the situation even worse, our correspondent says, by bombing mosques and killing captives in its trademark style of grotesque and horrifying showmanship.

Washington/United Nations: Iran (click here) tested a new medium-range ballistic missile last month in a breach of two UN Security Council resolutions, two US officials said on Monday.
The officials, both speaking on condition of anonymity, said the test was held on Nov. 21. One of them said the missile traveled within Iranian territory.
A Western diplomatic source said last week on condition of anonymity that the test was held near Chabahar, a port city near Iran’s border with Pakistan. He said it was a liquid-fueled missile with a 1,900 km (1,180 mile) range and was capable of carrying a nuclear warhead.
All ballistic missile tests by Iran are banned under a 2010 Security Council resolution that remains valid until a nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers is implemented....