The ISIS attack on Paris was a failure

[LuckyTheDog]

It occurred to me over the weekend that the ISIS attack on Paris was, in every way that matters, a complete failure.

As an “act of war” by a “state” – which is what ISIS claims to be – it could not have been worse. Strategically, nothing was gained. Consider the following:

-- In no way was France’s war-fighting capability damaged.

-- Even though it was a strike at France’s capital, no infrastructure or government buildings were seriously damaged or destroyed and no high-ranking government officials were killed or taken hostage.

-- The attack, while shocking, was nowhere near devastating enough to demoralize the population and weaken its will to fight. This was no fire-bombing of Dresden.

As a terrorist attack, it also failed. Even though it attacked exclusively soft targets, ISIS did not create mass casualties in the thousands, which was more than likely the goal. The number of people lost, while tragic, was less than one might expect to see if an airliner had crashed. This was not the kind of national trauma that should cause France to go berserk and overreact – which is arguably what the United States did after 9/11.

Thoughts?

[FLPanhandle]

1. The attack was designed to generate terror and headlines

I'd say the assholes were pretty damn successful.

[LuckyTheDog]

2. If those were the only goals ISIS had...

... then the operation failed before it even began.

[FSogol]

3. Except that today, everything returned to normal. The streets, cafes and markets are full.

Everyone went to work and to school.

People aren't hiding in terror. ISIS failed.

[Mika]

12. Turn on US TV & radio. Terra terra terra. More guns, more war, libs are wrong. No refugees.

AMerica has do do all in its power to defend the homeland.
What's the point of having infrastructure if it isn't defended.

All the main featured talking points raining down via airwaves and cable teevee.
This horrific event is a RW media weapon being used on Americans.

[FSogol]

13. That is why it is important to point out the reaction of the French people. n/t

[WDIM]

4. Anytime you use violence you have already failed. nt

[KingCharlemagne]

8. Hate to state an inconvenient truth, but the French Air Force

bombed Syria. . . . on Sept. 27. Does that resort to violence also constitute failure???

[WDIM]

14. yes same with their bombings in response to the killings.

Violence only begets more violence. We are in a never ending feedback loop of death and murder.

[linuxman]

5. Holy hell.

The French dropped 20 bombs on their stronghold yesterday, they are sending their only aircraft carrier to the middle east to respond as we speak, 120 separate raids were conducted last night in France, people are running scared from firecrackers in mass panic, and Hollande is already declaring that their military retribution will be massive and swift.

Yep, no real changes here.

Read more.

Way to minimize the deaths in the attack, BTW.

[DetlefK]

6. They wanted the world to freak out, just like on 9/11.

They want the headlines, the attention, the hatred, the legitimization of being Bad Boy #1...

[pipoman]

7. I surprised me that of all of the world renowned locations

In Paris they didn't target a single one..

[gwheezie]

11. I suspect because they are all guarded well

France is not new to terror attacks. These guys had to attack places where they would be able to murder the most people they could before being stopped. And they wanted to attack civilians doing every day things.

[KingCharlemagne]

9. If their objective was retaliation, I would say they

Succeeded in spades.

[NutmegYankee]

10. Terrorism isn't meant to destroy military/government targets.

It's goal is to frighten the civilian population. We'll see in the months ahead if it got it's goal - A resurgence of the xenophobic right in Europe to help push the us vs. them idea.

[Act_of_Reparation]

15. On the contrary, it was an unmitigated success.

Terrorist groups like ISIS rely on xenophobic, meddlesome Western regimes to boost their recruitment numbers. The attack "confirmed" a number of right-wing talking points, and is likely to result in (even greater) alienation of France's Muslim population from mainstream French society.

[Blue_Tires]

16. Well, I can at least say the man planning to

bomb the football match failed...

[Bucky]

17. You argue that it failed as a war measure, but then terrorism isn't war.

They aren't interested in winning. They're nihilists... they "win" by making a big splash. Treating nutcases like they're rational actors on the world stage isn't the key to understanding important events.

[The2ndWheel]

18. I think that's a nice story

In no way was France’s war-fighting capability damaged.

Is that was ISIS tries to do?

Even though it was a strike at France’s capital, no infrastructure or government buildings were seriously damaged or destroyed and no high-ranking government officials were killed or taken hostage.

So what?

The attack, while shocking, was nowhere near devastating enough to demoralize the population and weaken its will to fight. This was no fire-bombing of Dresden.

ISIS wants a fight.

As an “act of war” by a “state” – which is what ISIS claims to be – it could not have been worse. Strategically, nothing was gained.

ISIS may claim to be a state, but I doubt they want a seat at the UN. I don't think ISIS sees itself a 20th century state.

As a terrorist attack, it also failed. Even though it attacked exclusively soft targets, ISIS did not create mass casualties in the thousands, which was more than likely the goal. The number of people lost, while tragic, was less than one might expect to see if an airliner had crashed. This was not the kind of national trauma that should cause France to go berserk and overreact – which is arguably what the United States did after 9/11.

These are things that nobody will know until time passes by. Didn't France already declare a state of emergency for the next 3 months or something? They can extend that as long as they want. If France starts changing it's ways, however slowly, that's something else ISIS will have done.