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Journalist who returned from Islamic State HQ tells RT how jihadists can be defeated
Russia Today ^ | Published time: 21 Nov, 2015 14:55 | Unattributed

Posted on 11/21/2015 12:35:25 PM PST by Mariner

RT spoke to Jurgen Todenhofer, the first Western journalist who was allowed to enter territory controlled by the so-called Islamic State. A year ago, he spent 10 days among the terrorists, also visiting Raqqa, the capital of the self-proclaimed caliphate.

To arrange the journey, Todenhofer held Skype discussions with Islamic State (formerly ISIS/ISIL) for six months before they agreed to his visit.

Finally, the jihadists gave him official guarantee safety. “It was in their interest to fulfill their promises that I would come back alive – and I came back alive,” he said.

After spending several days with ISIS militants, having long discussions with them and observing their daily life, the German journalist said: “They don’t care if we call them terrorists.”

The streets of Raqqa are full of people, cars and functioning businesses, life seemed to be completely normal, Todenhofer said, but one should keep in mind that the Islamists had killed or driven off all the Shias and Christians, so the only people there were Sunnis.

The jihadists are not interested in picking on ordinary people as long as they abide by the Sharia law, they are after important people, the journalist said.

Yet the fear is out there. “If you make a mistake, you can be killed,” Todenhofer said, recalling people being punished with jail terms for offenses such as paying a visit to a girlfriend or using sleeping pills, which are prohibited.

(Excerpt) Read more at rt.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; Russia
KEYWORDS: agitprop; astroturf; jurgentodenhofer; paidrussiantrolls; putinsbuttboys; russia; russianstooge; russianstooges; vladtheimploder
One wild and crazy journalist.
1 posted on 11/21/2015 12:35:25 PM PST by Mariner
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To: Mariner
The American Marines and special forces have no chance in a fight against guerilla fighters, because these fighters are ready to die, and Americans Marines do not want to die," Todenhofer said.

What these guys don't 'get' is their men live in dirtbag hellholes and death is probably a relief for them... while our Marines have much to live for - - life in the US is good. Of course our guys don't want to die - they have something good to live for...

2 posted on 11/21/2015 12:59:54 PM PST by GOPJ (Syrians escape to live well in US & EU..Our troops go to Syria to die in their place. It's nuts.)
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To: Mariner

Raqqa delendum est.


3 posted on 11/21/2015 1:12:00 PM PST by Psalm 144 (The mill grinds exceedingly fine.)
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To: GOPJ

Ha! American SOF and Marines will be more than happy to arrange a meeting between ISIS fighers and allah...


4 posted on 11/21/2015 1:18:31 PM PST by 2banana (My common ground with terrorists - they want to die for islam and we want to kill them)
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To: Mariner

Nothing earth shattering. However, why hasn’t their location been turned to glass?


5 posted on 11/21/2015 1:29:33 PM PST by bgill ( CDC site, "we still do not know exactly how people are infected with Ebola")
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To: 2banana

Yes they will and they’ll win because life is good when you’re not a bunch of lowlifes like ISIS


6 posted on 11/21/2015 1:30:49 PM PST by GOPJ (Syrians escape to live well in US & EU..Our troops go to Syria to die in their place. It's nuts.)
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To: Mariner

Ah, love these neo-Soviets.


7 posted on 11/21/2015 1:33:35 PM PST by wideawake
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To: Mariner
 photo Islamic-Jihad--2013-10-07--C_zpsc9bfb94f.jpg
8 posted on 11/21/2015 1:38:01 PM PST by Patton@Bastogne
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To: GOPJ

Marines don’t want to die but are prepared to do so.


9 posted on 11/21/2015 1:49:42 PM PST by Garvin (Scratch a liberal, get a fascist)
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To: GOPJ
"Of course our guys don't want to die - they have something good to live for... "

That's what makes them the deadliest and most effective soldiers the world has ever known, even without the high-tech.

Just ask the Japanese of Okinawa or the Germans of Ardennes.

10 posted on 11/21/2015 1:58:50 PM PST by Mariner (War Criminal #18 - Be The Leaderless Resistance)
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To: Psalm 144
"Raqqa delendum est."

And then Mosul.

11 posted on 11/21/2015 2:00:18 PM PST by Mariner (War Criminal #18 - Be The Leaderless Resistance)
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To: Mariner
Like I always say:


12 posted on 11/21/2015 2:03:54 PM PST by PLMerite (The Revolution...will not be kind.)
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To: Mariner
I think perhaps Todenhofer is a moron.

After spending several days with ISIS militants, having long discussions with them and observing their daily life, the German journalist said: "They don't care if we call them terrorists."

Well, duh! You risked your life to bring us that revelation?

The third important thing is promoting reconciliation between Shia and Sunnis...

You betcha! If only someone had thought of that sometime in the last 14 centuries.

The streets of Raqqa are full of people, cars and functioning businesses, life seemed to be completely normal, Todenhofer said, but one should keep in mind that the Islamists had killed or driven off all the Shias and Christians, so the only people there were Sunnis.

Now there is one worthwhile piece of intel although I don't think Todenhofer needed to go there to get it.

At any rate, since there is no one left there except ISIS and their supporters. Time for Hollande and Putin to level Raqqa. 0bama is too much of a pussy to do it.

13 posted on 11/21/2015 2:14:58 PM PST by TigersEye (This is the age of the death of reason and rule of law. Prepare!)
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To: GOPJ

The Marines probably also remember Patton saying don’t die for your country, make the other guy die for his - paraphrased.


14 posted on 11/21/2015 2:16:43 PM PST by Duchess47 ("One day I will leave this world and dream myself to Reality" Crazy Horse)
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To: GOPJ

“American Marines and special forces have no chance in a fight against guerilla fighters, because these fighters are ready to die, and Americans Marines do not want to die,” Todenhofer said.”

That’s exactly correct. SF and Marine grunts are known for reluctance to attack, and an inconsolable fear of fighting. It was a big embarrassment at Belleau Wood, Tarawa, Iwo, Guadalcanal, Chosin and Pusan and Inchon. And those guys at Khe Sahn, Hue and Koh Tang island and Son Tay, what wusses. And Shughart and Gordon had to be practically kicked out of that Blackhawk to go help a downed pilot.
And in Desert Storm Marine Divisions didn’t conduct a bare naked full frontal assault straight into the prepped defenses with an aggressiveness that left Schwarzkof shaking his head.
And Fallujah never happened. And the Huge ISIS force that trapped 300 Marines at the Al-Asad airbase were just too busy to get around to over running 300 pissed off grunts.

Its just a shame that our SF and Marines are so fearful,,, a real shame I tell ya.


15 posted on 11/21/2015 2:53:58 PM PST by DesertRhino ("I want those feeble minded asses overthrown,,,")
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To: Mariner
"They are realizing that the story they were told is completely wrong. They don't live in luxury like they were told in Germany, [instead] they live a very simple life, they don't have food every day, not even water, it is cold in cheap apartments where they live, so life is completely different -- and they have to kill Muslims. This is not what they were promised," Todenhofer said.

Wait. I though people were moving to Germany because it was too hot in Syria and Iraq, due to global warming. I'm confused.

16 posted on 11/21/2015 6:33:40 PM PST by AZLiberty (No tag today.)
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To: Mariner
In German:

Toden=Death

hof=yard

Grave Yard?

17 posted on 11/22/2015 5:12:51 AM PST by Does so (Europeans better start becoming "Illegal Immigrants" to the USA. ==8-O)
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To: Mariner; 2banana; Garvin; Duchess47; DesertRhino
"Of course our guys don't want to die - they have something good to live for... " That's what makes them the deadliest and most effective soldiers the world has ever known, even without the high-tech. Just ask the Japanese of Okinawa or the Germans of Ardennes.

Ding, ding, ding we have a thread winnah... one among many great responses...

18 posted on 11/22/2015 10:45:37 AM PST by GOPJ (Syrians escape to live well in US & EU..Our troops go to Syria to die in their place. It's nuts.)
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To: GOPJ

Great statement.


19 posted on 11/22/2015 10:47:36 AM PST by Duchess47 ("One day I will leave this world and dream myself to Reality" Crazy Horse)
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