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Lumifer comments on [Link] A rational response to the Paris attacks and ISIS - Less Wrong Discussion

-1 Post author: Gleb_Tsipursky 23 November 2015 01:47AM

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Comment author: Lumifer 24 November 2015 03:53:02PM *  2 points [-]

Assad has multiple goals

Yes, and the first and most important goal is to survive. I don't think Assad has that much latitude in choosing which enemies to go after and which to ignore for the time being. He has been amazingly tenacious, but it's far from a foregone conclusion that he'll be the only one left standing at the end.

Comment author: ChristianKl 24 November 2015 04:28:21PM 1 point [-]

Yes, and the first and most important goal is to survive. I don't think Assad has that much latitude in choosing which enemies to go after and which to ignore for the time being.

Yes, and that means he won't focus on ISIS as ISIS mostly doesn't fight against him but against rebel groups that fight him.

Comment author: Lumifer 24 November 2015 04:39:25PM 1 point [-]

I suspect who is fighting who at the moment is mostly driven by tactical considerations and just plain physical proximity. ISIS, basically, fights everyone it comes into contact with. If there are rebels between it and Assad, it will fight the rebels. If Assad pushes the rebels back and comes into direct contact with ISIS, it will fight Assad.