You just knew some Warmist would go there. In this case, it’s Charles B. Strozier, a professor of history at City University of NY, and Kelly A. Berkell, an Attorney and research associate, Center on Terrorism at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Wait, I thought we weren’t supposed to listen to anyone who isn’t a “climate scientist”?
How Climate Change Helped ISIS
As the Obama administration undertakes a highly public, multilateral campaign to degrade and destroy the militant jihadists known as ISIS, ISIL and the Islamic State, many in the West remain unaware that climate played a significant role in the rise of Syria’s extremists. A historic drought afflicted the country from 2006 through 2010, setting off a dire humanitarian crisis for millions of Syrians. Yet the four-year drought evoked little response from Bashar al-Assad’s government. Rage at the regime’s callousness boiled over in 2011, helping to fuel the popular uprising. In the ensuing chaos, ISIS stole onto the scene, proclaimed a caliphate in late June and accelerated its rampage of atrocities including the recent beheadings of three Western civilians.
While ISIS threatens brutal violence against all who dissent from its harsh ideology, climate change menaces communities (less maliciously) with increasingly extreme weather. Most of us perceive these threats as unrelated. We recycle water bottles and buy local produce to keep the earth livable for our children — not to ward off terrorists. Yet environmental stressors and political violence are connected in surprising ways, sparking questions about collective behavior. If more Americans knew how glacial melt contributes to catastrophic weather in Afghanistan — potentially strengthening the Taliban and imperiling Afghan girls who want to attend school — would we drive more hybrids and use millions fewer plastic bags? How would elections and legislation be influenced? (snip)
Toting a metal water bottle is good, but it’s time for ordinary people to consider the bigger picture. When we fail to get the facts right about greenhouse gas emissions, we may unwittingly enable ISIS, Al Qaeda, Boko Haram, Al Shabaab and other extremist groups to flourish. As we consider our personal positions on climate change, it is important to understand all that is at stake in our interconnected world.
Actually, in a historical sense, you could make the case that islamo-terrorists have had a ‘man made climate change’ effect.
Prior to the raping, pillaging & murder committed by the peaceful evangelists of the pedophile prophet in the years before 1000, the Middle East was a ‘land of milk and honey’, North Africa was the granary of Italy, and the land watered by the Tigris & the Euphrates was ‘The Fertile Crescent’.
Now they are deserts and wastelands.
Not sure what your point is here
Are you saying that there was no drought in Syria those years. ?
Or that there was a drought but it had no effects on politics?
John, what’s your point? Are you saying there have never been droughts in that part of the world before? The article mentions it as a “historic drought.” Climate astrologers will immediately “think” that it means it’s never happened that bad before. More intelligent citizens will simply ask “what’s the definition of “historic”? The author doesn’t say, which is very telling. Does it mean 100 years, 1000 years..or since 1979? Also telling is that they don’t specifically link the drought to additional fossil fuels by mankind because…they can’t.
Wow. Spam is getting kinda thick on this post. :(
John, he’s commenting on the mindless, knee-jerk reaction of so many CAGW advocates who immediately leap to the conclusion that any given weather event must have been caused by global warming. Or climate change. Or extreme weather. Whatever the popular buzzword is right now.
Point being that droughts happen, as do floods, blizzards, tornadoes, and so on. It would be nice if someone established a verifiable connection to a given event, but no one does that. They just yell “denier!!” at any disputants.
After that, the claim that the drought (whatever the origin) caused ISIS to form isn’t even laughable, it’s just silly. It’s much more complex than that.
Besides, I thought progs were cheering all the Syrian rebels on. Now they’re supporting Assad instead?