John Kerry: Let’s Fight ISIS With A Soap Opera

investors.com ^ | 3/24/2016 | JOHN MERLINE

[MarvinStinson]

“They’re not an existential threat to us,” President Obama said, defending his indifference to the latest ISIS terrorist attack in Europe.

“Groups like can’t destroy us, they can’t defeat us. They don’t produce anything,” he said. (Well, they are producing oil and bombs and fresh new terrorists, but never mind.)

So what should the U.S. do to fight this non-existential threat that doesn’t produce anything?

Let’s put on a show!

The day after the attacks in Brussels, the State Department posted a $1.5 million grant proposal to develop “a television drama series that addresses the issue of countering violent extremism among young people in contemporary Afghan society.”

The rest of the proposal reads as follows:

“This grant will fund the development and broadcast of a television drama series in which young people grapple with everyday frustrations and lack of opportunity, while growing and learning through new experiences. The drama will also contain compelling creative content (i.e. storytelling, resonant narratives, strong characters, sophisticated production, etc.). In short, it will strive to be entertaining while challenging viewers to engage in critical thinking by placing characters in situations where they are faced with a choice: support universal values of tolerance and peace or be drawn into the dark world of extremism. The characters will be aspirational and will provide positive role models for young people facing similar dilemmas. The program will be amplified through social media and other means.”

Yeah, that should do it.

The same day the State Department decided to get into the soap opera business, Clinton told foreign policy experts at Stanford University that beating ISIS “means waging online battles with extremists. To discredit their ideology, expose their lies and counter their appeals to potential recruits in the West and around the world.”

Take that #ISIS.

[MarvinStinson]

I think the lead should be played by everyone’s favorite lefty actor—Sean Penn.

It would be great if Susan Sarandon could be in it.

It should be directed by Oliver Stone in combination with Michael Moore.

[SunkenCiv]

[AdmSmith]

Instead of a Soap Opera:

THE RIVER WAR
An Account of the Reconquest of the Sudan
By Winston S. Churchill

The infantry fired steadily and stolidly, without hurry or excitement, for the enemy were far away and the officers careful. Besides, the soldiers were interested in the work and took great pains. But presently the mere physical act became tedious. The tiny figures seen over the slide of the backsight seemed a little larger, but also fewer at each successive volley. The rifles grew hot—so hot that they had to be changed for those of the reserve companies. The Maxim guns exhausted all the water in their jackets, and several had to be refreshed from the water-bottles of the Cameron Highlanders before they could go on with their deadly work. The empty cartridge-cases, tinkling to the ground, formed a small but growing heap beside each man. And all the time out on the plain on the other side bullets were shearing through flesh, smashing and splintering bone; blood spouted from terrible wounds; valiant men were struggling on through a hell of whistling metal, exploding shells, and spurting dust—suffering, despairing, dying. Such was the first phase of the battle of Omdurman.
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/4943/4943-h/4943-h.htm

Around 10,000 Mahdists were killed, 13,000 wounded and 5,000 taken prisoner. Kitchener's force lost 47 men killed and 382 wounded,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Omdurman

[DoughtyOne]