Britain's top soldier says al-Qaeda cannot be beaten

The new head of Britain’s armed forces, Gen Sir David Richards, has warned that the West cannot defeat al-Qaeda and militant Islam.

He said defeating Islamist militancy was “unnecessary and would never be achieved”.

However, he argued that it could be “contained” to allow Britons to lead secure lives.

Gen Richards, 58, said the threat posed by “al-Qaeda and its affiliates” meant Britain’s national security would be at risk for at least 30 years.

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Posted in * Economics, Politics, * International News & Commentary, Defense, National Security, Military, England / UK, Terrorism

13 comments on “Britain's top soldier says al-Qaeda cannot be beaten

  1. Sick & Tired of Nuance says:

    No, it could be defeated. We are not willing to use the force necessary to eliminate Islam (and we shouldn’t). Containment is a viable option, but we must enforce a severe restriction of travel from Islamic nations abroad and keep a very close watch on Islamic folks domestically. This is much like the Cold War in which we tightly controlled/monitored travel to and from the communist bloc nations and kept close surveillance on domestic communists. If we use the same approach, treating Islam as the political ideology that it is, we can win.

  2. robroy says:

    The way to defeat Al Qaeda is simple – conversion to Christianity. But instead of working towards this obvious solution, we’re burning Bibles and building mosques.

  3. robroy says:

    We have this article where [url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2010-11-13/hillary-clintons-silence-on-iraqi-christian-genocide-must-end/ ]Hillary Clinton won’t even speak out about the genocidal action of Al Qaeda[/url] in Iraq against Iraqi Christians.

  4. Sick & Tired of Nuance says:

    Lead the way!

  5. robroy says:

    One more reference. We have this from Afghanistan [url=http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/2010/11/afghan-convert-to-christianity-is-charged-with-apostasy-crimes-punishable-by-death.html ]Afghan convert to Christianity is charged with Apostasy: “Crimes” punishable by death[/url]. Pamela Geller rightly asks, “Tell me again why we are expending priceless blood and billions in treasure on this sharia state. If we are not fighting this, we are wasting our time.”

  6. St. Nikao says:

    Assyria/Islam/Babylon cannot be defeated by the sword. can only be defeated by the repentance and return of God’s people. See Isaiah 30:31 and 31:8 (in fact, read the whole book of Isaiah)
    This principle stands throughout Scripture: God uses Assyria, Babylon and Rome and other pagan nations to discipline His people when they rebel against Him…and disobey His Commandments, and break His Covenant.
    Leviticus 26 outlines the costs to people and nations (spiritually, economically, relationally and militarily, when we disobey God).
    The Church must repent if we want to defeat AlQueda.
    II Chronicles 7:14

  7. Sick & Tired of Nuance says:

    [blockquote]Assyria/Islam/Babylon cannot be defeated by the sword.[/blockquote]

    Not so. The Babylon of the prophecies of Isaiah was militarily defeated by the Medo-Persian Empire. The Assyrian Empire was militarily defeated by the Greeks under Alexander the Great. Islam was militarily defeated at Tours and Vienna by Christian forces.

    Surely they will not be defeated militarily if we are not prepared to attempt to do so. But unwillingness is not the same thing as impossibility. I do not deny that the Church needs to repent of many things. I would add to the list of repentance the need to repent of cowardice in the face of militant Islam’s war against Christians. A good shepherd defends his flock. He does not teach his flock how to accommodate the wolves. He does not teach them to confuse tolerance for the foibles of fellow sheep with tolerance for the predations of wolves. The Church should be leading the West in advocating for a Just War to defend against Islamic aggression and the worldwide slaughter and oppression of Christians at their hands.

  8. St. Nikao says:

    Scripture teaches us that the ultimate battle is a spiritual one and not physical and must be fought with spiritual weapons. That the real battle is not ours, but God’s. We war with spiritual, not earthly weapons. Think of Joshua and Jericho, Gideon’s army, Elisha in II Kings 6, Jehosaphat, II Chronicles 20:12, II Chronicles 7:14, God’s armor and weapons, Ephesians 6. Among our spiritual weapons are praise, thanksgiving, repentance, The Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God…worship… unity… love with a pure heart, a clean conscience, sincere faith….the joy of the Lord.

  9. Sick & Tired of Nuance says:

    Actually, Scripture teaches that there will be a physical battle that occurs in the valley of Megiddo and the blood will be as high as a horses bridal. There will be a physical battle that occurs:

    Rev 19
    17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God, 18 so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and the mighty, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, great and small.”

    19 Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse [b]and his army.[/b]

    21 The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.

    Is the Church the body of Christ or not? Are we God’s Army or not?

  10. St. Nikao says:

    Those are heavenly hosts of warring angels, or so I always thought. Earlier in verse 14, Jesus appeared with the armies *which were in heaven* followed him dressed in white upon white horses (KJV) and slew the kings of the earth (all who opposed God and His will) and their armies.

  11. Chris says:

    a latter day Neville Chamberlain. where is the latter day Churchill?

  12. Sick & Tired of Nuance says:

    #10,
    Regardless of how it plays out, may we both be found with our Lord on that day and in harmony, dear brother in Christ Jesus. You have permission to tease me in heaven if I misunderstood the Scriptures.

  13. St. Nikao says:

    Amen, #12. I am also Sick and Tired of Nuance!!!
    May we stand true and faithful by His Strength and Spirit unto the end.
    Revelation 12:11