HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Fall of ISIS or Fourth Wave Terrorism?

Iraqi military advancing

Raqqa, the capital of the Islamic State, the self-proclaimed Islamic Caliphate, fell to Iraqi and Kurdish ground forces with considerable help from US air power and Special Forces.  This is a good thing--but will it matter?

Time and time again, terrorist havens have fallen and then it springs up somewhere else like the mythical Hydra.  Sometimes it is like punching holes in water.  The question is where it will reappear.

ISIS might have been crushed in Iraq,but it has satellite loyalists in other parts of the world like the Sahara nations and Libya. This battle might be over,but there is another about break loose.  And it will be in another form, if not now, definitely in the near future.

The first wave of Islamic terrorism was in the 1970s and early 1980s.  It tended to strike mainly in the Middle East against Israel and Western interests in the region, supplemented by occasional attacks in Europe against civilian targets.

The second wave was in the late 1990s with the establishment of a friendly government willing to give al-Qieda sanctuary.  The Taliban of Afghanistan was a willing and enthusiastic host.  This second wave pulled off the worst terror attack in history--9/11.

It also provoked a massive response as US forces overran Afghanistan in a grinding campaign that continues to this day.

That led to the third wave, a  terror group establishing its own country.  ISIS eclipsed al-Qieda in 2014 with the establishment of its Caliphate in northern Iraq.  From here, ISIS engaged in all out conventional warfare against both Syria,NATO, Iraq and at times, Russia.  It also launched or inspired attack in Europe and the US itself.

The next wave is in place and it is scarier--it is in Europe itself, forming in the middle of nations who brought in "refugees".Watch for some European nation to begin to shake apart in a civil war and watch for the reaction inside that country as Islamic insurgents do battle with flaccid governments who will be targeted by both Moslem and patriots, who will soon go after each other.

The 21st century history of Europe is going to be way too interesting.

He was just a guy...

I guess the uneducated loopy leftists took a break from vandalizing Confederate statues and went after Columbus instead.  I wonder what sort of horrible childhood they must have had.  Maybe they should try reading a book instead of committing vandalism.

Columbus was not perfect.

Not even close.

Neither were the indigenous people of the Americas.

For starters, they themselves immigrated over from Asia.  Secondly, all I have to say is "Aztec", a tribe that dominated Mexico  and had performed human sacrifice (living I should add) on a wholesale scale that drove other Natives toward the Spanish, who themselves felt queasy about the whole thing.

Columbus brought over smallpox, which ripped though the Native population with a mortality rate of 75% on a good day. It was not like he even knew he was carrying it.

 He also was a terrible administrator, who would be jailed by the Spanish themselves.

Columbus was a brave sailor and a fantastic ship captain and probably the greatest salesman of all time, but he was not perfect.

Neither was anyone else in any period including the 21st century.

Here is an idea--celebrate Indigenous People Day and Columbus Day side by side. Call it "Americas Day"

If the mask wearing,poorly educated, friendless, unskilled vandals of Antifa cannot figure that out, I can't help them.  No need to punish them either.  Why?

What can you do to them that life all ready hasn't?

They should try building something like understanding.

Hockey season begins!

Granted, my Penguins are off to a bad start, 0-2 including a 10-1 (!!!) blowout at the hands of Chicago, but I am still happy hockey season has started!

The first week in October--just like the Supreme Court--marks the beginning of a new season!

Pittsburgh is looking for a three-peat though the start is not all that promising....Remember, it's not how you start, but how you finish.


I still remember the first hockey game I ever saw.  It was Pittsburgh and Toronto and they battled to a 1-1 tie. I am so glad they got rid of ties!  I like the OT format and World Cup-style shootout if all else fails.

It is kind of odd to see teams in the South or desert Southwest, but if you like hockey, why should location be a problem?  In fact, Carolina and Dallas are former Cup winners and even though Atlanta was a bust twice, LA and Anaheim have stepped up to the plate and even though Nashville lost to my Penguins, they fought hard and nothing to be ashamed of.

The Las Vegas team is going to be interesting.  Not sure how that is going to work....

Step one: DROP THE PUCK!