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This post was first published on 19 May. It has been republished – with minor edits – on the occasion of Leo Varadkar’s election as the new leader of Fine Gael on 2 June 2017.
IT SEEMS AS though Leo Varadkar was destined to work in medicine.
His mother Miriam, from Dungarvan in Waterford, was working as a nurse in England when she met his Mumbai-born father Ashok, a doctor.
The pair had settled in Dublin before Leo, the youngest of three children, was born in 1979.
Varadkar attended St Francis Xavier National School and The King’s Hospital in Dublin, before studying medicine at Trinity College and qualifying as a GP.
Destined to be a doctor perhaps, but is he also destined to be Taoiseach?
Varadkar was an active Young Fine Gael member in college, serving as chair of the Youth of the European People’s Party (of which Fine Gael is a member in the European Parliament) at one point.
His rise through the ranks of Fine Gael was relatively swift.
The then-medical student contested the local elections in 1999 in the Mulhuddart area of Dublin. He failed to be elected but was co-opted to Fingal County Council for the Castleknock area in 2003, serving as deputy mayor.
In 2004, he received the highest first-preference vote in the country in the local elections, getting almost 5,000 votes on the first count.
After securing a Dáil seat in the Dublin West constituency in the 2007 general election, he became the party’s spokesperson for Enterprise, Trade and Employment.
‘You know where you stand with him’
Fine Gael councillor and current deputy mayor of Fingal County Council Eithne Loftus told TheJournal.ie she’s “not surprised” by how quickly Varadkar has risen through the ranks of the party.
I knew the first day he ran for party, the day he was elected. I knew and I said it at the time. I was the chair of the constituency at the time and introduced him as our future leader.
“I’m not at all surprised, he’s a very, very smart man. The country needs someone of his stature to lead.
“I have watched him grow since he became our local representative here and have seen his ability and general concern for the job that he does.
“I’ve nothing against Simon Coveney, we are very lucky to have so many people who are capable of doing the job of leader, but on this occasion I think Leo is the better option.”
Fond of speaking his mind, a somewhat rare trait in Irish politics, Varadkar is never far from the headlines. Some view his straight talking as refreshing, but others think it’s his Achilles’ heel – something prone to landing him in hot water.
Despite her praise for Varadkar, Loftus admits they haven’t always seen eye to eye.
“We would have disagreed on numerous things but certainly you knew exactly where you stood with him. I prefer someone to give me the truth and speak his mind.”
The failed heave
One of the notable times Varadkar spoke his mind was when he was on the wrong side of a failed heave against Enda Kenny as Fine Gael leader in 2010.
During a Prime Time interview at the time, Varadkar explained why he was backing Richard Bruton over Kenny. He drew inspiration for his answer from a Hillary Clinton presidential campaign ad in 2008.
Varadkar said Kenny had built up the party “brilliantly” over the previous eight years.
However, the then Enterprise Spokesperson said the second thing the leader of the Opposition has to do is “convince the people that he can serve as their Taoiseach”.
“Unfortunately, over the last eight years, and it’s not just one opinion poll, Enda Kenny hasn’t been able to do that. And it’s not that I’ve lost confidence in him, it’s that the public doesn’t have confidence in him. And unfortunately that’s the truth and it’s something that we all know, it’s something that you know.
And I had to ask myself that key question, the 3am question is that if we’re in government and if there’s a national crisis and if there’s a sovereign debt crisis for example and [then Central Bank governor] Patrick Honohan lifts up the phone at 3am and rings the Taoiseach, who do I want to answer that phone?
Despite backing Bruton, Varadkar was one of those not cast aside from the front bench when Kenny, now Fine Gael’s longest-serving Taoiseach, fought off the heave.
Speaking to TheJournal.ie previously about that period, Varadkar’s fellow rebel MEP Brian Hayes said: “Leo [Varadkar] had done his own sort of polling in his constituency … He said he was absolutely certain that Kenny should go but was not certain – and he pointed at Richard [Bruton] – ‘that you’re the solution’. I thought it was brilliant.
“Richard kind of blushed and said: ‘Sure that’s it, but it’s me or nothing.’”
When Kenny appointed a new frontbench the following month some of the rebels were saved but given different portfolios, including Varadakar and Simon Coveney (now the Housing Minister and his rival for the top job).
Back in 2015, Fine Gael’s former Director of Organisations and Strategy Frank Flannery told this publication: “Guys like Leo and Simon were kept on. These were very key events and allowed the party to move on as if it hadn’t happened.”
‘Poison chalice’
When Fine Gael formed a coalition government with Labour in 2011, Varadkar was appointed Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport.
A Cabinet reshuffle in 2014 saw him moved to the Department of Health, perhaps a role more suited to the doctor.
However, health is often dubbed the most difficult seat at the Cabinet table – given the constant battle with waiting lists, hospital trolleys and lack of resources.
Brian Cowen, himself a former Taoiseach, who served as Health Minister as part of Bertie Ahern’s Fianna Fáil government in the late 1990s famously compared the portfolio to Angola, in terms of how many ‘bombs’ one has to defuse no bombs when at the helm.
Speaking about the appointment at the time, Varadkar himself said: “I’m not sure if I’m able to turn the poison chalice into sweet wine, but I’ll do all that I can to improve our health services.”
In the end, he only served as Health Minister for 22 months – a relatively short period in such a vast portfolio.
As the Oireachtas is currently looking to develop a 10-year plan for the health service, Varadkar’s stint seems a bit ‘blink and you’ll have missed it’. His appointment to the Department of Social Protection (DSP) last year was seen as a lateral move by many, including Varadkar himself.
Speaking on RTÉ radio in 2016, he said: “I’m in some way sorry to be leaving Health.
It was a really tough department, probably the toughest in government, but it is one where you can make an important impact.
He said his redeployment to the DSP wasn’t a demotion, but “may well be a sideways move”.
The department’s ongoing ‘Welfare Cheats Cheat Us All’ campaign, which encourages people to report others who they suspect of committing social welfare fraud, has been making headlines recently.
Measures in the new Social Welfare Bill include the quarterly publication of the names, addresses and penalties incurred by people convicted of welfare fraud, and the potential to reduce the amount a person can receive in social welfare benefits if they’ve been convicted of fraud.
The move was welcomed by some but others were critical. Bernadette Gorman, a former social welfare inspector, described it as “a hate campaign”.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Today with Seán O’Rourke this week, Gorman, who has been involved with the DSP for 30 years said: “I don’t like where the department is going. I do think Leo Varadkar was on some sort of solo run but I don’t know what his officials were doing allowing it.”
Gorman said, from her experience investigating welfare claims, “complex human stories” rather than conscious fraud are often behind welfare rules being broken. She added that she believes the plan is “all about his own bid to become leader [of Fine Gael]“.
Fianna Fáil’s Willie O’Dea said the campaign is “both a gross misrepresentation of the actual levels of fraud perpetrated against his department and an attempt to curry favour with significant right wing element of the Fine Gael organisation”, comparing Varadkar to Margaret Thatcher.
Varadkar has said the new rules will act as a deterrent to crack down on welfare fraud.
When announcing the campaign in April, he said:
We take fraud very seriously and have a responsibility to taxpayers to ensure that people receive what they are entitled to. Nothing upsets people more than someone else cheating the system at their expense.
Reports of suspected fraud have increased significantly since the campaign was launched. However, there have only been 11 cases of suspected fraud so far this year, according to the department’s own figures.
Last year, the DSP made €41 million in overpayments due to customer fraud in 16,225 cases – a decline on the €49 million paid out in 2015 in 21,407 cases of customer fraud.
When Varadkar spoke about seeking to revamp the country’s social welfare system when appointed minister, people saw that as him throwing his hat into the leadership ring.
At the time, Varadkar said he was “waiting on the day I sit on toilet and someone says it’s part of a leadership strategy”.
*That* interview
For a person not afraid to talk on most topics, Varadkar was – like most Irish politicians – reticent to talk about his personal life.
It made an interview with Miriam O’Callaghan on RTÉ Radio 1 in January 2015 all the more noteworthy.
On that morning, he publicly came out as gay.
He said part of the reason to go public was his new role as Health Minister, as issues such as surrogacy and the ban on gay or bisexual men donating blood now came under his remit.
“I just want people to know that, whatever decisions are made on any issue, I’ll make them according to what I believe is in the public interest and my own conscience. I won’t be allowing my own background or my own sexual orientation to dictate the decisions that I make,” he told O’Callaghan.
Undeniably, the announcement was significant. It took place four months before the referendum on marriage equality – which, of course, passed – and made Varadkar one of a few openly gay members of the Oireachtas.
No, a person’s sexual orientation does not impact on their ability to do a job, but having an openly gay leader of the country would show far Ireland has come in the two decades since homosexuality was decriminalised here.
To some, there was another part of the interview that was more surprising than him coming out. Miriam Lord noted in the Irish Times that Varadkar “shocked the political establishment by telling RTÉ’s Miriam O’Callaghan that ‘a politician should trust people with the truth’. Then he shocked the nation by revealing that he is still only 36 years old.”
Indeed, his quick rise through the ranks of Fine Gael means he’s younger than many of his peers at the Cabinet table.
All to play for
Opinion polls – although we’ve learned they can’t always be trusted – generally gave Varadkar the edge over Coveney very early in the leadership race.
Today, the final results showed Coveney won the backing of 65% of Fine Gael’s grassroots members, but Varadkar took the victory after securing significant support among local representatives and the parliamentary party.
The final count, including all three electoral colleges, saw him win with 60% to Coveney’s 40%. The electoral college breakdown was as follows:
Fine Gael’s parliamentary party consists of 50 TDs, 19 senators and four MEPs.
How they voted in the leadership contest accounted for 65% of the outcome, while the votes of ordinary members made up 25% and councillors’ votes just 10%.
‘Who wants to lead the Opposition?’
When asked by TheJournal.ie in January 2015 if he wanted to lead Fine Gael, Varadkar, who had just been appointed Health Minister, said he didn’t know.
“Ask me that maybe in four or five years time. Now, at the moment, absolutely, definitely not … It’s the last thing on my mind at the moment, particularly with the job I have at the moment, trying to get a handle on the health service. I really want to get stuck into that.
In four or five years time, if I’m still around, ask me that question and I’ll give you a straight answer at that time.
It’s only been two years, but he has just given his first speech and press conference as Fine Gael leader, nodding to the fact that he is soon to become Taoiseach.
“When my father travelled [to Ireland]… I doubt he ever dreamed that his son would one day grow up to become its leader and despite his differences, his son would be treated the same and judged by his actions and character, and not by his ardents and identity,” he said.
The 38-year-old earlier said that people around the world look to Ireland and are reminded that this isn’t a country where it matters where you come from, “but rather where you want to go”.
However, he may not have a lot of time to get comfortable in this new top spot. A general election could happen sooner rather than later and could see Fine Gael return to the opposition benches.
During the same interview with TheJournal.ie in 2015, Varadkar was asked if he wanted to be Taoiseach. His response? “You’d hardly want to be leader of the opposition. Who would want to do that?”
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Barbarians
Terrible if it really happened. There is so much propaganda from both sides in this war its difficult to know what to believe. I guess its proof of the saying that the first casualty of war is the truth.
oh so you don’t believe that the west uses the media to spread their propaganda ….want proof…..OK..who remembers this lot of bull sh:t https://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=LmfVs3WaE9Y
These tribal wars have been going on for centuries, best let them sort it out between themselves.
Islam is a faith that is so unbelievably intolerant to particularly the christian faith that it has no place in western culture other than attempting to destroy us.
Below is just a reminder of their ethos….
According to the Sharia law:
• Theft is punishable by amputation of the right hand (above).
• Criticizing or denying any part of the Quran is punishable by death.
• Criticizing or denying Muhammad is a prophet is punishable by death.
• Criticizing or denying Allah, the moon god of Islam is punishable by death.
• A Muslim who becomes a non-Muslim is punishable by death.
• A non-Muslim who leads a Muslim away from Islam is punishable by death.
• A non-Muslim man who marries a Muslim woman is punishable by death.
• A man can marry an infant girl and consummate the marriage when she is 9 years old.
• Girls’ clitoris should be cut (per Muhammad’s words in Book 41, Kitab Al-Adab, Hadith 5251).
• A woman can have 1 husband, but a man can have up to 4 wives; Muhammad can have more.
• A man can unilaterally divorce his wife but a woman needs her husband’s consent to divorce.
• A man can beat his wife for insubordination.
• Testimonies of four male witnesses are required to prove rape against a woman.
• A woman who has been raped cannot testify in court against her rapist(s).
• A woman’s testimony in court, allowed only in property cases, carries half the weight of a man’s.
• A female heir inherits half of what a male heir inherits.
• A woman cannot drive a car, as it leads to fitnah(upheaval).
• A woman cannot speak alone to a man who is not her husband or relative.
• Meat to be eaten must come from animals that have been sacrificed to Allah – i.e., be Halal.
• Muslims should engage in Taqiyya and lie to non-Muslims to advance Islam.
• The list goes on.
And the Halawa family were out in Egypt carrying placards that said: “WE ARE WITH THE SHARIA”.
“I am delighted that through my role as an MEP that Ibrahim was able to have contact with his family for the first time in months. To see the nineteen-year-old hug his big sister would break your heart.”
Sinn Fein MEP Lynn Boylan, 3 August 2015.
Funny thing is, we’ll be told left right and centre these guys are a perversion of ‘the religion of peace’. Not true. That’s called Taqiya (lying).
It is the vast majority of moderate Muslims who selectively interpret the Koran.
These guys actually follow the Koran to the letter. They are doing exactly what they are told by their barbaric founder, who killed many thousands of people himself. They are in fact devout Muslims. Islam has no place in any civilised western society.
@John Curry Regime change brought about by the police force of the western world ( usa) with the help of the usual suspects has a lot to answer for. Oil and more Oil that’s all that counts ,democracy only counts when it suits the west Egypt being an example. Truth is the first casualty of war as you rightly state.
Coming to a shore near you this summer
I do Agree with women drive ers causing upheaval however, they did get that right.
Middle aged men who think they own the road are oftentimes the worst offenders in my experience, followed people who think it’s perfectly fine to do 65 kph in a Nissan Micra on the motorway.
Séan, christians who follow the bible to the letter are just as mental – fundamentalists of any religion who follow the exact text of any old book are unsuitable for a civilised society.
Christianity may well have been in the past , we in the West have moved on , Islam has not and is need of a Reformation , why we in the West allow so many of these ‘ followers ‘ into our midst is beyond me , if we are not careful in Ireland we will soon have our own ‘ Malmö
Sorry Ross but you are completely and totally wrong to draw any parallel between the message of Christ and that of the ‘prophet’. Doing so is just pure intellectual laziness and buying into the whole ‘all religions are bad thing.’ And are all fundamentalists bad? A fundamental Jainist for example, will watch their step so as that they will not even step on an insect, because to kill any living thing in this true religion of peace is a serious transgressioin.
The problem is not fundamentalism. The problem is Islam.
Message of Christ:
Love your neighbour as yourself
Put away your sword
Turn the other cheek
Versus
Kill the infidel.
Yeah Seán, you forgot about the whole old testament part of christianity didn’t you. you know, the batsh!t crazy part that makes all the same references to slavery, wars, genocide, etc that fundamentalist christians sush as the Westboro baptist church use to justify picketing funerals with hate speech like ‘God hates fags’, etc.. You needn’t focus just on Islam for crazies and crazy books..
I also note your ‘intellectual laziness’ in quoting hateful speech from the Koran when there are also phrases of peace in there such as ;”the taking of one innocent life is like taking all of Mankind… and the saving of one life is like saving all of Mankind” – Qur’an, 5:33.
While I think both books should be redundant in our time, there are quotes of hate and peace in both.. Take your pick for whatever agenda suits you.
The main problem in Syria is Assad – I’ve seen people on here claim him to be some kind of awesome leader who did a great job of keeping Syria secular when he was really doing a great job of all kinds of disgusting torture and murder.
And since 2011 – Assad is responsible for about 4 times as many civilian deaths than isis.
Over the last few days one of the single biggest massacres by the regime was in Douma. I see nothing of that reported here – and all from this guy who has been praised like some amazing secular leader.
As for the rise of isis, and indeed the rise of extremist groups in syria and iraq, the world is complicit in it’s inaction.
If unaware of killing (and worse) in the name of competing versions of Christianity, a brief course in Irish history is required.
B@stards
Islam at it’s best.
Undiluted and sheer evil.
As Islam would be a human invention let’s blame humanity as well , filthy humans!
Took a brave man to do that so brave he wore a mask I bet .
These f*ckers need to be wiped off the face of the earth.
Certainly a better solution than inviting them into Europe needs to be considered.
MrsWoman…I couldn’t agree more❗️
And how exactly are we “inviting” isis into europe?
I doubt he’d have been subjected to the same appalling treatment in ancient Palmyra. Animals.
Animals is not an insult. We are all animals and only certain humans commit atrocities like in this article. Savages, barbarians, psychos, monsters, etc are what they are..
Weaklings, cowards, wannabe men, d*ckless, etc.
Not human these savages
Cowards
A note to the author – this is not Isis ‘harsh version of Islam’. This is Islam as practiced by the prophet himself – who by his own hand, beheaded between 700 and 900 people. Isis are merely following his example.
Moot point. The prophet didn’t “practice Islam” at all. That’s like saying Christ practiced Christianity.
And here we have the Dude again, spreading fear and Islamophobia, ISIS are Islamic extremists, the same as the KKK are Christian extremists
@Neal – What a silly comment you make. Mohammed was setting the example for all Muslims to follow – Just as Christ sets an example for Christians to follow.
not that many decades ago same thing in China…before that.. nazi treatment of academics..
@Larissa – referring to historical facts is not fear mongering Larissa.
Christ also appatently said…first cast out the beam out of thine own eye and then thou shalt see clearly to cast out the mote out out of thy brother’s eye.
@The Dude
So the fairy tales about Mohammed and his winged horse are historic facts? Interesting point of view, I dare say they are as much fact as the world being created on Sunday the 21st of October, 4004 B.C., at exactly 9:00 A.M.
Beheading an 82 year old and stringing him up because he denied their claims that there was a ‘pot of gold’. Must be their proudest moment.
Muslim, Christian, Atheist…there’s no excuse for such violent behaviour!
@Missy – …and for consorting with infidels i.e. non-Muslims.
@Margaret – I’m not clear what point you’re trying to make.
“So the fairy tales about Mohammed and his winged horse are historic facts?”
In certain quarters yes is the answer to that one and don’t dispute that if you want to keep your head.
check the dictionary, no such word as islamophobia
@Chini – note that Larissa wrote that statement about winged horses, in such a way so as to give the impression that I had made that claim – which I never did of course. I merely referred to mohammad’s massacres.
@The Dude
How do you know, these are historical facts? Were you there at the time it happened? Do you take everything that’s written in the bible as historic facts? If not then why do you take the Quran as historic facts?
@Larissa – You sound like the serpent in the story of Adam and Eve “Did God really say…?” 270 million killed by Islam over the centuries. I’m not going to spoon feed you Larissa – do your own reading and research. You’re a grown adult.
@TheDude
How many millions have been killed by Christianity?
The academic murdered was Muslim too.
@Diarmud
Don’t you confuse The Dude with facts, he can only deal with fearmongering
@Larissa – Where does Christian teaching command Christians to murder people Larissa? Please see Merinov’s comments above as you might learn something.
….also Larissa – is telling the truth really fear mongering, in your alternative version if reality?
…wasn’t it Frances Flannery who said that “the truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it”.
…sorry that quote was from Flannery O’Conner b. 1925
dude listen to me and you might learn some thing too about it because both of ye are ill informed. its not as easy as saying muslim bad christen good. because in the bible . A girl raped must be married off to the rapist . A wife is to obey the husband as the husband must obey god . A disobedient child is to be killed . gays should be stoned ( not in the happy circle either ) one who bares false witness should be removed at the root . A few from the bible off the top of my head . but because that shows in the bible I don’t say all bible followers are evil I’m smart enough to understand that there is a difference are you ?
@The Dude
Something to read for you:
http://markhumphrys.com/christianity.killings.html#historical
That is if you’re not too biased to admit that Christianity itself ain’t all as lily white as you’d like to portray it.
@ the dude, Deuteronomy 17 the bible commands all unbelivers be killed. While agree with your points above, the bible is equally as evil. Dont forget , Muslims and Christians whorship the same god.
@Mark – yes Mark I understand the bible perfectly well. What you refer to is descriptive and not prescriptive – and written SPECIFICALLY to the Old Testament Israelites as part of Old Testament law. For example the purpose of someone marrying a girl whom they had seduced in whatever manner, was because in this situation – no other man would have taken her as a wife and she would have been rejected in that culture.
Mark Collins
- You must learn to differentiate between the old testament and the teachings of Christ.
The argument you presented is a common piece of ‘taqqiya’ (lying for Islam) used by Muslims.
@ The Dude The Banu Quraizah sealed their own fate, with their own actions, according to their own Book. Prophet Muhammad had nothing to do with it,other than agreeing to let an ally to the Banu Quraizah arbitrate between them, and to bind himself to that arbiter’s decision. Moreover, no Jewish tribes, Jewish historians, or Jewish scholars record this event. This is shocking because the Jewish people have recorded their history better than perhaps any people in history.
@Shane – it does not. The passage you refer to applies to ‘evil doers’ and only on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Again – this is not prescriptive instruction to New Testament believers. It is descriptive of OT law. Regards.
….also Shane – Muslims do not worship the sane God. If they did both sets of scripture would be in harmony. They worship the moon god, Allah.
…furthermore Shane, chapter 18 goes on to describe the detestable practices such people were engaged in – such as sacrificing their sons or daughters in the fire, sorcery and witchcraft.
@The Dude
Your argument that the Muslims aren’t worshipping the same god is more than ridiculous, Islam, as well as Christianity has its origins in the same middle eastern tribal god as Judaism.
@Larrissa Yet we don’t see the KKK beheading people without be held to account by their own countrymen. Islam is an Absolute sickness.
@Larissa – No Larissa, they do not have the same origins. Please go away and educate yourself – then come back when you have something sensible to say
@Garwig
Yeah, all 1.6 billion Muslims are terrorists, that’s what you are saying
that’s no surprise. the point is you are criticizing a whole religion while ignoring the awful crimes committed in the name of the West by supposed practicing Christians. Actually the more certain soldiers for example profess their Christianity or Judaism for example the More they seem ‘happier’ to annihilate whole communities. US army being the biggest offenders. always sticking their nose is all over the world. who trained the Taliban??? those good old christian US/brit and so on. well we did have to get rid of Communism. the couldnt wait to get rid of Gadaffi/Sadam and much about syria.. and wevin the west stand by and proclaim its not our fault. what we have is BLOWBACK
@Margaret – I am condemning the teaching of Islam which specifically INSTRUCT Muslims to take over and kill all unbelievers (of Islam) unless they convert.
As far as your tirade against US foreign policy – my question to you is this – 1.Was that being done in the name of Christ? and 2. does the new testament command Christians to murder all non Christians? the answer is an emphatic NO.
@Larissa @Garwig
Brigette Gabriel on the peaceful Muslim majority.
http://youtu.be/Ry3NzkAOo3s
what om saying you you is… there are none so blind ss those who will not see. Luke 19:27. ‘but those my enemies which would not that I should reign over them, being hither, and slay them before me’. you really need to do some research.
@The Dude
If your Christians are so fervent believers of the New Testament, then why are you always bringing up the old Testament, when you lobby against LGBT people, for instance, you are nothing but hypocrites, not one Iota better than fanatical Muslims.
that’s the most sensible comment I’ve seen on this thread.
you are joking. Check out how crimes of white supremacists in the US have been dealt with over the years.
The dude is on this site arguing against abortion and same-sex marriage – and for religion to remain in schools. He likes to think that his religion is better – may as well let him believe it…
Yes they are or they support it, Their silence says everything. I will never live under Islamic Law.
@Larissa – I didn’t bring it up dear. It was Shane in a previous comment.
@Tony – Please stop lying. I have no views on religion in schools and have never commented on that.
@Margaret – Your use of the gospel of Luke makes no sense at all. I don’t think you have any idea what it means.
@Tony – by the way Tony – yes you’re right – I do think being a Christian is far better than being a Muslim.
What the füćk are the international community doing about this epidemic of slaughter? This is genocide pure and simple
The international community ripped Syria apart trying to get Asad disposed. Somehow I doubt they’d be worried about the fallout their destabilising action cause. War is good for business.
CIA and its regime change using a proxy force – highly recommended since the deposition of the Shah of Iran.
Western military and intelligence chiefs created ISIS to get rid of Assad who would not consent to a new gas pipeline from Qatar bypassing Russia.
Your rightful disgust at this death and rape cult (ISIS) will be used as justification for direct military intervention and removal of Assad who is actually fighting ISIS who are funded by Saudi Arabian, and supported by Israeli, Turkish and America.
You will not see this reported on the repeater news feed media stations such as RTE, BBC etc. In fact you will be hearing a lot more anti-Assad propaganda.
it’s shocking how people in the West are so ‘disintersted’ in the actions of the US (and their coherts).
@Bondage – there are no angels in this war – Assad included. Please don’t present him as some kind of nice guy because he’s far busier bombing marketplaces than acting against IS.
He’s killed about 4 times more civilians than IS have.
What’s the point of the UN again?
Lol
The UN (Useless Nancyboys) are powerless against the International Society of Liars And Murderers.
The followers of Muhammad will commit atrocity after atrocity, all the time cheered on by the so-called ‘moderate Muslims’, but not publicly so.
These vicious, amoral creatures are pouring into Europe and nothing is being done about it.
In Sweden, the statistics show that 1 in 4 Swedish girls will be raped by a Muslim ‘immigrant’ & this is just the figure for the present, in a country where things are going from bad to worse every day. Swedish girls have taken to dying their blonde hair black & dressing like men, to avoid the Muslim rape gangs.
The civil wars in Europe have begun.
Being pushed hard by our nations greatest son Peter Sutherland without a single vote from the people of Europe he is our “UN special representative for migration”.
@Francie – Swedish is now no longer releasing the statistics of immigrant crime there, for obvious reasons.
…oh and those so called moderate Muslims.
http://youtu.be/APQVkJcZMKI
Irony @ the dude who was on this site expressing his views against marriage equality and abortion availability as well as religion in schools.
The UN has been pretty much completely neutered by Russia and China for the most part on all things Syria. Both countries are making a killing (if you’ll excuse that) in weapons sales.
@Tony – no idea what you’re talking about mate. I’ve little or no views on religion in schools – except the Eco climate religion, which should be done away with.
…also Tony – I’m not quite certain you understand what irony is, as your comment makes no sense at all.
Filthy, murdering, hypocritical Daesh $cum
There is something very strange going on where the global superpowers are appearing to sit on the sidelines while ISIS manages to continually outdo itself each week with even more heinous acts than the prior week, and entrench themselves more strategically within ‘their’ territories and overseas.
Saddam Hussein was but a fraction of the threat ISIS presents to the actual home turf security of the US, UK, EU and beyond.
Are they waiting for the insane extremism to get to some unimaginable worse level before they can justify doing something?
The present POTUS is not exactly anti- Islamic is he ?
I agree with the angry sentiment here… there’s a whole pile of firepower across the 28 States of Europe lying idle while defenceless people are being slaughtered in the most brutal of ways. The lack of will by the the EU and others to tackle this is very saddening. Even Turkey is concerned about IS coming into her territory now. Allowing IS to become ever more powerful will result in an increasing number of ‘lone wolf’ attacks across Europe followed by ever more severe & organised ones. The problem is most probably related to the fact that Air power alone is no longer sufficient to deal with them and the highly visible deaths of US soldiers in the unnecessary wars in Iraq & Afghanistan has lessened voter support for ‘boots on the ground’ war. So, unless the war is quite literally on our doorstep (or even inside the front door!) Politicians are afraid to act. Is this a case of George Dubya’s ‘crying wolf’ causing us to ignore the real threat?
The global superpowers see ISIS as a strategic asset; none of the oil there is getting exported which keeps oil prices up, no one country in the region can become an independent, functioning and prosperous state because the Islamist version of the Khmer Rouge are in full swing.
I think the West is still hopeful that ISIS will topple Bashar Al-Assad.
@ OneTrueVoice :
German TV shows Turkey helping ISIS
Turkey has been attempting to enter this war for some time now,with US support, but have faced massive resistance from the public. Their prime reason has been stated publicly on many occasions. To bring down the Syrian Government. Now they can reach this objective with full public backing. They expectet ISIS would solve this problem for them, but it’s not happening. Hundreds of lorries daily cross the Turkish border near a US. army base, supplying ISIS with arms and fighters. Two German TV teams have recorded this abnormality. Also Known ISIS leaders crossing the border in both directions devoid of hindrance or control. What they forgot to show were the many lorries daily crossing into Turkey loaded with stolen oil from Iraq and Syria from which ISIS earn an estimated 2 to 3 million Dollars daily. Which banks are washing this money ? HSBC again ?
A German TV news report – with English subtitles, shows that Turkey is sending terrorists into Syria:
http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2014/09/turkey-israel-directly-supporting-isis-al-qaeda-syria.html
Another good German documentary:
Deutsche Welle (English)
ISIS Supply Lines Originate in NATO’s Turkey : Report
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article40347.htm
2012 Defense Intelligence Agency document: West will facilitate rise of Islamic State “in order to isolate the Syrian regime”
Newly-Declassified U.S. Government Documents: The West Supported the Creation of ISIS
http://levantreport.com/2015/05/19/2012-defense-intelligence-agency-document-west-will-facilitate-rise-of-islamic-state-in-order-to-isolate-the-syrian-regime/
DIA Docs: West Wants a “Salafist Principality in Eastern Syria”?
http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2015/05/dia-docs-west-wants-a-salafist-principality-in-eastern-syria.html
Here is what Ron Paul had to say :Former Republican congressman, and Republican presidential candidate, Dr Ron Paul claims : New Evidence US Backed ISIS
http://truthinmedia.com/dr-ron-paul-new-evidence-us-backed-isis/
Destabilization, divide and rule. Destroy all strong Governments in the region and replace them with ISIS type rule. Libya, Iraq, Syria etc. All small factions perpetually at war with each other and all sides constantly in need of arms.
US supports ISIS indirectly. They function as mercenaries in the ME with the intention of destabilising the entire region.
General Wesley Clark explains ISIS was created by U.S. Allies
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=ojcoKnTGf4s
Joe Biden blames US allies in Middle East for rise of ISIS
http://rt.com/news/192880-biden-isis-us-allies/
@Greg
I think you’ve got the finger in the wound there, no country is willing to commit ground troops as there invariably will quite a high death toll, which in turn would lead to the incursion of these troops being unpopular with the general public, who understandably don’t want their sons and daughters, husband and wifes, killed in some far away country.
Well ……..when they took on Saddam, Taliban and Gaddafi to name a few. the same people were calling them warmongers. So why step in this time to help a people with no appreciation. The west is Weak and will fall through its own liberal PC agenda.
Ah, ok, Garwig, so the West should become as equally sexist, homophobic, racist and misogynistic as ISIS, is that what you want?
Who said that. The west is Weak however and when we feminise all our men and boys who will fight our wars when the wolves come knocking. European birth rates are falling adding to the unsustainability of Europe fighting a war. Now go back to Jeremy Kyle Larrissa
@Garwig
Yeah, right, because women can’t fight
you wouldn’t last two minutes
Haha… Garwig you’re a clown… Big internet tough guy with a crusader avatar….. Back down the pub with you with your dole
I’m always amazed about some of the frankly weird statements made about this conflict….
Assad was a savage before 2011 – some hold him to be some kind of brilliant secular leader but it’s not the truth.
Since the revolution, opposition groups didn’t manage to organise. IS didn’t exist then and there were a lot of groups who weren’t radicalised.
That was the time for the world to move – but Russia & China in particular didn’t support the UN on it and the opportunity to support revolutionaries has dried up because they all became radicalised.
And becoming radicalised is something that should have been expected. Assad dropping barrel bombs on his own citizens was always going to follow with people looking at their options – and the options were limited. There are reports coming out of Syria of people who prefer to live under isis than in an area like Douma which saw about 120 killed over the last few days – by assad – non-military targets with indiscriminate weaponry.
The only innocents in this are the civilians.
@stickymicky. you got it all wrong and im actually the complete opposite and have ACTUAL experience, yet I don’t need to explain myself to Keyboard warriors. when the Jihadi’s come knocking I will enjoy your tears for action before anything happens
@stickymicky I do like your avatar, maybe you are the Egg Mohammed will be born from. Did you stick you baby finger up your anus to find out. Islam don’t make me laugh. lololololol
Nuke the bxxxxxds
Do you know how nuclear weapons work?
Yes, I’ll help. Big Flash, loads of heat, No more enemy
Do you know what the crusaders actually did?
No more enemy and no more civilians who are effectively occupied by that enemy.
Yep, no more enemy, no more innocent civilians, those captured or held as slaves, no more flora or fauna. Also radioactive fallout for some time and an inhospitable environment for longer. Birth defects and cancers for more innocent people for generations. But as long as you can sleep soundly in your comfy first-world bed, who cares, right?
Collateral Damage. Also if you look at Chernoybl wildlife is Thriving funny enough. Better to crush Islam now. Additionally as a Christian I actually am fully tolerant of, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Atheism and even Jedi’s. As you see they don’t want to convert me or suppress me so we can live in peace together. Islam however is Sick to its core and my children will be taught to never accept it’s teachings. Islam will Drag the world back to the Dark Ages.
First time I see a good use for the Nuclear Bomb
Well if you think that the nuking of tens of thousands of civilians while hitting a savage enemy is a good use then maybe you have to read up on WWII?
Daesh will only be beaten by real soldiers on the ground, real soldiers backed by air support. Men not afraid to use their bayonets and the Gurkha Regiments and Royal Marines and some US branches come to mind first. Little chance of this happening as the UN is dominated by Islamic members plus the leanings of the current President of the USA has wrecked the US forces ability to take part in any ground operations. Other than the UK , the armies of the EU nations are a waste of space as they have shown in recent years.
The French have been battling jihadists in Mali for a long time, hardly a waste of space? Who are the British army fighting?!
@Chini…Mindless ramblings from an imbecile…. Almost every country in the region is involved in battling these animals to some extent.
The problem is that the worlds only superpower is idling around waiting for Syria to fall or seeing if they become a bigger threat to her local interests. Not because Obama is a terrorist…. The mind boggles at some of the crap posted here
And why don’t you join the fight yourself if you’re so concerned
” armies of the EU nations are a waste of space” obviously never read a military history book in their lifetime.
how so, are the EU armies a waste of space as shown where in recent years, are you referring to some peacekeeping incidents, which is totally different to being deployed to war, i think you really don’t know what your talking about in this context
“UN is dominated by Islamic members”
Um… WHAT?! Thanks for this, extremely funny – you should have started with this.
The major issue in the UN doing anything was pretty much down to Russia, China and Iran neutering almost all resolutions.
People on here keep asking what the international community are doing. While I agree something needs to happen we also need to have a serious debate on Ireland’s neutrality. Why should we sit idly by expecting everybody else to sort things out? Should we help with the solution?
Do you really want to draw them on us?
Why should we suffer for because the imperialist ambitions of current and former superpowers?
If they attack us for the very small part we play, such as the presence of peacekeepers and logistical support for the yanks… Then by all means get involved… Otherwise stay clear
These vermin have nothing to do with religion or anything else. This is about money n power.
I am always disgusted at some of the rhetoric on here that lump 1.6bn muslims in with isis – but the reality is, these savages are all about raw interpretation of islam. Ignoring that is a foolhardy exercise.
Who’s doing their PR?
Idiots Sh:t Ignorant Shaitan (ISIS), this is what is ISIS.
Nice one, Hasan.
I personally prefer Israeli Secret Intelligence Service.
These criminal insane muppets need culling!
Nonsense of the highest order…. The West didn’t create IS, the Quran and Hadith have given ample justification for violence and depravity for centuries now….
No God condones murder religion is manipulated by imperfect fallable human beings and usually men
Can’t believe people are still falling for this bull5h1t. Problem. Reaction. Solution. Hook, line and sinker.
So you think you can offer a solution.
Now this I would like to hear…. In fact, I invite it – because anyone who claims to have a real idea of what to do about this is either completely naive or a liar.
Unbelievable carry on ,no better than the nassies did in the last world war
assad is guilty of far more civilian deaths than isis is.
It says it all about the nihilistic and hellish mentality of these Muslim fanatics that not only do they have a lust for murdering Christians and have scant regard even for the human lives of their fellow muslims, but they also have a hatred for their own cultural heritage as evidenced by their wilful and deliberate destruction of it.
The Islamic world needs their own ‘Monuments Men’, but I don’t think they are going to step up to the mark!
have your say