Fighting rebels....the right way

I think that this program aimed at giving jobs to these former rebels is the best way to fight extremism of any kind. Many join these rebel groups out of financial necessity (and not so much ideology) and providing them a better option for money is a better option than using a gun to kill them (which then breeds more hatred towards the government from surviving family members....thus completing the circle of violence).

The West should take note of these programs. (I know they have tried before but the ones I knew of were just half baked, unsustainable ideas.)

Giving Rebels Jobs

 

I think most of those are just dumb teenagers/young adults with a very naive world view and/or in their "do everything to p*ss off our parents/authorities" stage. These are first world problems. The large majority of "extremists" do not have the luxury of being teenage turds, their reasons are more simplistic. My opinion is that most of the recruiters are trying to appeal to the more basic human requirements (food/shelter/fulfilling family obligations) to get the bulk of their recruits. The recruitment of westerners is merely a propaganda tool they use to p*ss off the world powers and it really does nothing but distract the population from the real issues. Perhaps it wastes some intelligence assets by forcing them to look for these idiots going over there to fight.....because if we kill an American who is fighting overseas without due process......god forbid.....the media will have a field day with it.

The US tried doing it with former Taliban fighters. They needed the village elders to vouch for them that they were not working for the Taliban. Problem was that many of the village elders were being threatened, paid off or were actually in the Taliban themselves and quickly gave the go ahead. Ended up having a bunch of Taliban turds mapping out the bases and recording what places were active at certain times of the day when they came in for work (so that they could better aim their rockets and mortars.....which they really suck at even if they know where they are aiming). I don't think the Philippines will see much of these problems. They aren't allowing them access to sensitive information or restricted areas. I'm not sure what valuable information a rebel group could gain by having a bunch of guys planting trees in the mountains. However, Murphy's Law always applies.

 

.......and because of Crocodile Dundee. Australians should never complain about people stereotyping them....it's your own d*mn fault.