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[SirQuiamus]

What's up with the northeasternmost Asia claim? As far as I know, there's no Muslim presence there either modern or historical.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

[Loud Whispers]

It rather noticeably claims loads of Christian Africa that just so happens to be oil and mineral rich

[scriver]

I'm also noticing a brown field over the northern parts of the Japanese archipelago-line - I guess that explains why Japan and Russia are so adamant about getting those for themselves too.

[Sheb]

36 deads in IS attack on Istanbul Airport.

[Orange Wizard]

Number's been updated to 50 ish IIRC. Horrible stuff.

Also, IS didn't actually claim responsibility, so maybe it wasn't them? Kinda hard to say what counts and what doesn't, I guess.

[martinuzz]

IS should be really happy that they're not recognized as a state by the UN. Or else Turkey (or any other NATO member that suffers a terrorist attack by IS) could scream article 5, and NATO would have to declare war on IS officially.

So, no, I'm not supporting terrorist organisations when I say that I would like the UN to recognize IS as an official state.

[Loud Whispers]

Number's been updated to 50 ish IIRC. Horrible stuff.

Also, IS didn't actually claim responsibility, so maybe it wasn't them? Kinda hard to say what counts and what doesn't, I guess.

The lack of any immediate claim for this attack by so-called Islamic State is not surprising. IS rarely, if ever, claims responsibility for attacks against the Turkish state yet it is quick to advertise its assassinations of Syrian activists inside Turkey.

All the signs point towards IS being the culprits. This is what British counter-terrorism officials term "a marauding terrorist firearms attack", following a pattern first seen in the Mumbai attacks of 2008.

The next suspect are the Kurds but

Turkey's other main foe, Kurdish separatists, have carried out many attacks over the years but their primary targets have tended to be Turkish policemen and soldiers.

Probably ISIS

[Sergarr]

Since we're speaking about Turkey, Erdogan has finally apologized for shooting down a Russian jet. Looks like Turkey's position was not as strong as he imagined it several months before...

[martinuzz]

I don't think it's that Sergarr. It's more like Erdogan being a pragmatist. Relations with EU worsened lately, Erdogan even proposed a referendum to ask the Turks if they want to continue the join the EU process at all. Improving relations with Russia fits in that line. EU's worst nightmare would be to lose influence over the Gate to Europe. Or worse, Turkey leaving NATO.

[Ukrainian Ranger]

+1 to above. Plus he wants Russian tourists and Russian markets back.

Yet he forgets number one rule of world politics - friendship\cooperation with Russia never ends well.

[Sergarr]

Yet he forgets number one rule of world politics - friendship\cooperation with Russia never ends well.

China seems to be doing pretty well at the moment...

[TheBiggerFish]

IS should be really happy that they're not recognized as a state by the UN. Or else Turkey (or any other NATO member that suffers a terrorist attack by IS) could scream article 5, and NATO would have to declare war on IS officially.

So, no, I'm not supporting terrorist organisations when I say that I would like the UN to recognize IS as an official state.

Oh boy.

[sprinkled chariot]

It does not look like anyone except iran and syria want to really engage isis in any way except dropping few bombs from above.

[Neonivek]

It does not look like anyone except iran and syria want to really engage isis in any way except dropping few bombs from above.

It is because engaging terrorists is a HUGE slog... especially where ISIS is located.

Basically... You remember playing Diablo with the succubi who would fire bloodstars at you and then run away whenever you go towards them only for other ones to harass you in the back? Yeah imagine them if they also had the Zerg burrow ability from StarCraft 2.

[Vilanat]

It does not look like anyone except iran and syria want to really engage isis in any way except dropping few bombs from above.

If the West, led by the Untied States, engaged in a serious ground effort to combat them, ISIS would get a tremendous morale boost, would get flooded in locals and foreigners joining them and would ensure that their image as Islamic liberators fighting against infidels and crusaders would further entrench itself within muslim minds.

Besides, the West spends considerably more funds and resources on fighting ISIS than Iran or Russia.