60 reported dead in Paris

• At least 60 people have died in the attacks, CNN affiliate BFMTV reported.

• At least six shootings took place in Paris and three explosions took place at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis late Friday, CNN affiliate BFMTV said. Two or three gunmen entered the Bataclan concert hall while opening fire on law enforcement, BFMTV reported. A source earlier told CNN there were six to eight hostage takers, citing a person they were talking to inside the venue.


www.cnn.com/2015/11/13/world/paris-shooting/

We had a chance to fight what is now ISIS on their home turf. Maybe our troops left Iraq too soon? Consider that when you find yourself worrying about having to fight them here. Do I need to say that our elected leadership and the people who put them in office are to blame or is that beating a dead horse? Suck it up folks "we" voted for this.

Sure thing!
As long as you're also willing to suck it up and consider that "we" voted for the guy who de-stabilized this region to begin with and place blame there as well.
That carcass is still worthy of beating, no?

The Middle East was destabilized long before any of us or our great-great-great-great (etc) ancestors first drew breath. While U.S. government intentions may have somehow been on the right course, we had no business sending troops to the M.E. We had no plan to "win the peace". We lost far too many good men and women in the attempt to somehow bring democracy to an area that will never accept it. At least I think that was the plan. We couldn't maintain a presence. At some point we had to draw down, and the local powers knew this, and only had to wait it out.

Let me temper my remarks by stating that I'm a proud US Army airborne infantry veteran. I have done, and seen, and know that those in power should listen to those in the trenches. They rarely do.

There were no outside forces responsible for the creation of ISIS. They didn't suddenly appear overnight - this has been long planned. We can all certainly agree with French president Hollande that they are 'barbarians'. But - they are committed barbarians, far beyond any mindset the Western world can muster or understand. Beheading people and suicide by bomb vest? Making millions through sex slave trafficking? Destroying historical and archaeological sites that have stood for centuries? Conform or die.

It would be lovely to have a Coke and a smile. But all the coexist stickers on the planet will not affect ISIS. They are unbending and unyielding, and they have opened a door that may well prove impossible to close.

Here is my prediction, for what it's worth. World leaders will decry the actions of ISIS. There will be "outrage" and "condemnation". There will probably be a concert to raise money for the victims, and radical islamic terrorism will not be mentioned. An appropriately measured response - probably bombing a few ammo dumps and training camps - will take place with a very measured number of aircraft. There will be a lot of namaste-ing and wishful thinking and candlelight vigils, then Miley will do something disgusting or a "real housewife of somewhere" will have a sex scandal, and heads will pivot in those directions. And ISIS will march onward without giving a damn what the rest of the world thinks or does. Evil cannot be legislated, or reasoned with.

I know I sound like Mr. Sunshine here... the simple fact is, this force has a plan and a mission and a commitment to evil that can't be stopped by sanctions and finger-wagging. They're not coming to any peace talks, or taking a chair at the negotiating table. These are barbarians who are willing to cut off someone's head and videotape it. Only three months ago they beheaded 82-year old Khaled Asaad, a scholar who wouldn't cooperate when ISIS wanted to raid Palmyra. But that's yesterday's news.

ISIS is recruiting in numbers we cannot comprehend. This is no hurricane or wildfire. It's not going away by next weekend or the next news cycle.

As Americans are occupied with protests and more rights and complaints and whining, ISIS is building its forces exponentially. The threat is real and is the most crucial issue of our time. Buy more ammo, and vote wisely.

Sorry, I should have explained better ... I'm not for invading anyone, anywhere. I would very much prefer to turn my guns into plowshares.

I believe that as a nation, the US of A can't afford to be the world's policeman any longer. I know it's complicated and I'm certainly no international diplomat. I used to be an optimist, but over the years I've become more of a realist. World peace just isn't going to happen, despite all the peaceful intentions that can possibly be mustered. ISIS doesn't want peace. They want domination, submission, eradication, and they don't care what we have to say.

"Buy more ammo" is a common exhortation among a lot of folks I know when these events occur; meaning at a personal level, I'm not negotiating with anyone who steps onto our property wielding a sword and an AK-47. Honestly, I'm no hunker-in-the-bunker maniac. "Buy more ammo" means more ammo for defense, not offense. It provides considerable peace of mind to think that I won't be watching my family or yours dragged away by some psychopaths while thinking, "Y'know, I really should've bought more ammo..."

I know how the Book ends, and I know where I'm going. I believe in loving my neighbor, and the Golden Rule. But I also think in the near future, we are in for some very perilous times right here on the home turf, and there are truly evil men who must be fought.

And coming to a town near you. The terrorists will stop at nothing. And being the stronger party and doing nothing only invites them to continue their acts. Do something over there and/or be prepared to do something here.

None of this hits home until we are impacted. Is France enough or do Americans need to see more of it here?

I want to assign blame and I think there's plenty of evidence that King Barry and his staff are to blame for the most recent episode of violence in Paris. Who kicked over the Hornets nest first is hardly the concern at this point in time.

We are no longer in a strategic situation, those who mean us harm are on our shores and walking among us every day. For me this hearkens back to the late 1970s and 1980s and events that the IRA and the Baader-Minehoff Red Army Faction carried out across Europe during that time. The bad news is that they are already here and they have the motives and the capabilities to carry out acts of terror strictly because they want to and because they can. Our elected leadership has been asleep at the wheel for too long and we are going to pay to the consequences right here at home. I hope I'm 100% wrong about that, hope isn't reality and I'm prepared for what may come even if it's the worst case scenario. I encourage everyone to take similar measures. We should be looking at the model Israeli citizens follow because it's not unlikely that we're going to see bombings, shootings, and other attacks on public venues and out infrastructure. Call me Chicken Little and prove me wrong, I want to be proven wrong in this particular instance.

My main point is that now is not the time for internal squabbles, that time is long past us. Now is the time to prepare, prevent, and vanquish ISIS and other terrorist organizations who are prepared to cause harm to our allies in the Western World and especially within the borders of our own nation. Keep an eye on the soft targets and get ready for more attacks, it's not a question of if they will occur, it's when.

It does not matter who is in the White House, be it Republican or Democrat, and it is high time that all of America realizes that and come together so that the words “Home of the FREE” mean it.

The US and their Allies do not target innocent people to make a statement, their attacks are clearly strategically targeting those that empower these monsters.

ISIS and Al-Qaeda do not care, they have no morals.

I will support my country and our troops and will not bow down to these monsters!! I say no more and if that means targeting areas with a high concentration of these monsters, so be it.

I know it will not break the cycle but we MUST do something to break them so that they can’t keep this up!!!

World Peace is not in their vocabulary.