Metropolitan Police assistant commissioner Neil Basu told The Independent here that President Trump has ‘handed Islamic State a propaganda victory’ with the withdrawal of American troops from Syria.
Metropolitan Police assistant commissioner Neil Basu said:
“You hand Isis a propaganda victory if you say ‘we’re going to withdraw’, which they took as a sign they were able to say ‘we’ve won’. That can’t be good for us in Britain. I would hate for anybody to be complacent enough to think that threat has gone.”
Mr Basu said in the article that although Isis’s influence operation had been “tremendously affected” by territorial losses, the scale of its propaganda machine meant that the struggle to remove material from the internet continues.
“A lot of it still remains out there and accessible,” he added.
This comes not long after President Trump is reportedly hearing repeated calls to rethink the Syria withdrawal following an Islamic State suicide bombing that represented the single deadliest attack on Americans in Syria since US troops were deployed in 2015.
“My gut tells me that this will reinforce Donald Trump’s instincts about withdrawing,” said Charles Lister, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute in an interview with CNN here.
“Trump has said Syria is all about sand and death, we’ve just experienced more death, so all the more reason to leave … but it also fuels the argument made by his detractors that this proves ISIS hasn’t been defeated, that our local allies on the ground are facing serious threats that we can assist them in defending against.”
The withdrawal of US troops from Syria depends on certain conditions, according to US National Security Adviser John Bolton. On a trip to Israel and Turkey earlier in the month, he said he would seek assurances that Kurds in northern Syria would be safe from Turkish attack.
Yes Trump did! And his mums Scottish so he must get his retardation from his American dads side… I do like Trump as he rocks the boat on many other things but he says one thing and does another oh did I mention he lies all the dam time on TV like a retard! and he’s onto his 2000th lie as president according to fact checkers!.
But Trump is strong on defence and America even though it’s still the only superpower is getting more money for its millitary so it’ll be even stronger. I wish the UK government/public cared more about our millitary just like America does. Even just protecting old navy ships and Air Force planes and retired aircraft carriers Americas Great at and we suck. Just like the RAF Valiant bombers that dropped Britains first Nuclear bomb there’s only 1 intact in the world!! Shameful…
Oh Cam, Don’t get me started on the whole Preservation of UK Historic military stuff mate, It’s a Travesty. We Have so little to show of the Unbelievable achievements this Country gave the World It’s just Criminal. Of the 1400 Royal Navy Ships at the beginning of WW2, We have exactly ,Bugger All to show our Kids, Grand Children or anybody else even remotely Interested In how we eventually overcame Hitler and His Crazy Ideas of World Domination. Not one single Battleship or Aircraft Carrier. Very few Aircraft, Tanks and other such like, and even fewer Cold War Equipment Either.
Truth Be Known, Our Efforts are being Erased and replaced by the USA version of events. Especially if you look at the Hollywood Film Industry over the last few Decades.
I hear you captain on Hollywood,on spielbergs saving private ryan the only mention of us is a put down comment on monty and then theres band of brothers which just makes tankies look like right idiots on operation market garden.
Yup, and who captured that German Sub with the Enigma Machine ? Who spent nearly 3 years standing alone on all fronts ?, Who engaged and sank the German surface Navy?, Who ? well It wasn’t John bleeding Wayne.
I’m just going to throw it out there, but not preserving HMS Warspite was a national tragedy. Much the same as the US not preserving USS Enterprise.
At least we have Belfast, Cavalier, Caroline, Wellington, and LCT7074 as some examples. But it’s a shame we didn’t retain more.
When Bristol leaves service as a training ship, I’d love for her to see life as a Falklands War museum ship. I’m sure we could find some replacement parts. If we can’t, it might be worth taking a leaf out of the Tank museums book, who were considering/have used 3D printing to replicate parts of vehicles that were missing.
Warspite obtained the most battle honours of any ship in any navy ever, its such a shame that a ship with such a proud history was deemed too expensive to maintain.
One of the worst in my opinion is HMS Implacable, built by the French, She took part in Trafalgar on the French side and was captured soon after and commissioned Implacable, she survived for so many year, still sea worthy and everything, you could probably still sail her today, only to be scuttled in 1949, only then to go and preserve Cutty Sark which didn’t really do a hell of a lot in the history books, it was more or less cargo ship nothing else.
Theres footage of the sinking the ship on youtube!
As for Bristol, thats a fantastic idea, put her alongside Sir Tristan somewhere, showcasing the Royal Navy in the Falklands War and the Cold War!
I believe Hermes is being preserved as a museum ship in India. Im glad she has survived, too bad she couldn’t be a museum in the UK, she is after all one of the most famous aircraft carriers of all time, along with Enterprise and Ark Royal.
Lusty and Keith, HMS Warspite Just had to be Retained, I cannot believe the injustice there. Nor can I Forgive.
Rear Gunner, You are not alone. But, The one really big Bugbear I had was, We all Donated Thousands to the Vulcan Project and all I saw was the Big Flash Expensive Vehicles Turning up at every Event. Range Rovers and the like Smack of Excess in my book, for a bunch of so called Passionate and Dedicated Enthusiasts donating so much time and effort keeping a Public Icon In the air.
Same as Project Bloodhound really. What Is It now, 12 Years ? and still no Attempt despite Thousands of Individuals Donating Unknown Millions.
It is criminal! We could if the public got behind it get HMS Hermes back, India only wants a few million for it and it’s just sitting doing nothing, there was a petition to get her home but it didn’t get enough publicity! And also there was a fund to get her home that just needed a few thousand to show public support then funds would have been provided from the private sector. We could get HMS Hermes home, the government could get her home tomorrow if they wanted, why dont they care about our heratage! if I worked in government I would suport great British creations like the aircraft carrier after all we did invent them. The nation needs these things to show future generations, in 100 years they won’t have much from that era to go visit.
every time i hear the word trump, i get the same sickly feeling as when i think corbyn might get to be P.M
Thank God Trump is getting America out of that hell hole. If he didn’t we would be there for decades just like in Afghanistan, Iraq, Korea, ect. Let the Arabs do something for themselves for once!
Would this be the same London MET which afforded police protection to a bunch of foaming at the mouth protesters who decided to burn a poppy outside the Albert hall during a rememberence event a few years or to a bunch of jihadists who started throwing abuse at British soldiers in Luton, or even failed to arrest an idiot walking past parliament flying the ISIS flag, ( they stopped him and let him go as he had done nothing wrong) or who allowed a Muslim police cadet to change his uniform buttons as it contained a cross, let’s not forget the female police cadet who refused to shake hands with males
Those in glass house shouldn’t throw stones.
As usual Farouk an observation no one can argue with.
It’s what drives people nuts Airborne.
The sheer hypocrisy.
In the name of PC we actually suppress ourselves.
the MET is the most self important arrogant bureaucracy in britain, run by crooks to catch crooks, which the nation lets go of again.another agency consumed by political correctness
Just as a response to Captain and Keith, I do fully agree with both points made- Implacables scuttling was a sad loss indeed.
I’m glad Hermes is being preserved – I thought she might be. It’s a shame she can’t come home to be a museum, she’s a fantastic ship, with a very proud history.
Also, I agree with utilising Sir Tristram as a museum ship too.
Shame those plans for old Lusty Illustrious never worked out too isn’t it?
i remember seeing the bombed out sir galahad and tristram both truly sad sights
The “Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner” somehow I doubt President Trump or anyone else would give a single solitary damn about the opinions of what amounts to a deputy city police chief. Who likely couldn’t pass basic firearms training in the US much less the FBI and DHS Counter Terrorism Schools.
Second it is none of his God damned where the Commander and Chief of the United States Armed Forces commits them to war. That is the prerogative of the President to decide and the Congress (both of the chambers) to oversee if they so choose.
Third no one ever voted to go to Syria or anywhere else in the Middle East besides media elites and bleeding heart liberals. America has more than enough oil for energy independence (we surpassed Saudi Arabia last year, and keep finding more reserves).
Four a “ISIS Propaganda Victory” how is being left to the the tender loving care of Bashar Assad and President Vladimir Putin a victory? It seems more like if I was terrorist or rebel (same thing) that would be “victory” I could do without. With “victories” like those it shouldn’t take many defeats to get rid of ISIS.
Unless anyone is deluded enough to think that Putin and Assad are going to give terrorists Civil Rights? For supporters of ISIS in Syria, It is simply going to be bombings, death squads, and the odd summary execution in front of the village. Welcome to the Middle East how it is and always has been not how people have been desperately trying to see it.
It never ceases to amaze me how delusional British politicians and civil servants are. Outside of the UK, no one, no one gives a damn what they think or say and, in the broad scheme of things, what they say makes absolutely no difference. Yet, they keep on thinking it does. Brits have just never adapted to the reality of the world, post WW2.
delusional/ excellent choice of wording. maybe we should all stand with banners to that effect outside scotland yard they might send out tea and stickies’ as long as our banners are p.correct. and spelt right