What can we do to help those women and girls?

Many, though not all, of the terrorists using Islam as a cover are 'converts' from the west. These are young men (& a few women) looking for a cause. It is shocking that countries like the UK have citizens disillusioned enough with their home country & who feel so outside the mainstream society that they hook onto extremist groups /gangs to feel purposeful. The solution probably lies at home. Outpourings of indiscriminate hatred towards Islam/Muslims will only add to the feeling of not belonging and continue the cycle. Everyone needs to talk,listen and understand and be humble. Hard to to but the rewards would be worth the effort.

Is that part of IS's plan, to ensure radicalisation of countries unable to fight back?
The Crimea invasion stinks and it is disgusting that little has been done, or possibly will be done, because Russia know the Western world has limited ways to response beyond trade sanctions etc.

Jane Lebanon and Jordan who seem to have borne the brunt, are small countries, poor with smallish populations, what would you have them do?

Russia annexed Crimea and so many people have been displaced and are still suffering - what are we doing?

Gill I'm afraid you don't know the politics of the Middle East if you wonder why the Saudi's don't criticize.

I am deeply horrified at what IS is doing. Our Muslim clerics in Australia have loudly condemned all evil atrocities carried out in the name of Islam. My own contribution is a small monthly donation to UNHCR, as I feel the best thing we can do is look after those who escape.

I am a naturally peace-loving person, but just like those WW1 conscientious objectors who went on to fight against the Nazi evil in WW2, I feel military might must be brought against these so-called men of IS. The evil is too great to stand back and wring hands. They have to he annihilated.

Gill it now looks like you are saying that these 'warriors* are the ones you are castigating, which is very different from tarring all Muslims with the same brush.

I think we had a good example of how your average peaceful Muslim feels when we saw their reactions to the hostage incident in Sydney.

Yes LoopylouI agree. This so called return to the 14th century caliphate would only seem to be for the poor souls that they oppress, and the women. I note that the warriors drive around in trucks, use mobile phones and all modern technology, AK47 and modern instruments of war, not really a true adherence to the caliphate is it?

It's the fact, as I see it, that religion is being used as the reason in so many of these atrocities that is so appalling and therefore inciting others to join in. And that's what makes me despair because true fiollowers are as horrified as we are.
I suspect all religions have had fanatics at some time but these barbaric sects are beyond any likelihood of listening to reason.

I apologise as I seem to have unintentionally offended some on here, but I was so angry, having seen yet another report of the atrocities, watching the reports of the German gentleman who has managed to get access to he area. Yes I do know muslims, and yes they are appalled by what is going on, and yes neighbouring countries have been magnificent in their taking in of refugees, but still nobody major like Saudi Arabia is speaking out publicly. I still stand by my statement that these so called warriors are murderers and paedophiles by what are commonly regarded as decent standards. The past atrocities committed by Christians were also appalling obviously, no religion can hold its head up straight when it comes to terrible acts, but we are talking about the here and now, in an age when we have social media and TV reports to inform us of what is going on.

I apologise again if I have offended anyone by the strength of my comments, but I still stand by most of what I said.

Fundamentalism is extremism in any belief system, but it doesn't mean that that belief system is flawed, but rather that some of its adherents are.

Remember the witch hunts and burnings in earlier centuries. Did that reflect the true ideology of Christianity?

That's lovely but its not doing anything to make it stop. Prevention is better than cure.

The surrounding Islamic countries have taken in millions of refugees fleeing from IS in Syria and Iraq - action speaks louder than words.

Signed and shared.

Do you know any Muslims, GillT57?

Message deleted by Gransnet for breaking our forum guidelines. Replies may also be deleted.

Janea is right. This behaviour is not true Islam. Its a gross perversion of a noble religion. I just wish the other Moslem countries would stand up to IS. Tribalism, oil and money in the way I suppose

Terribull Islam is not a ghastly religion. The extremists who carry out these appalling acts of brutality are not true followers.

Ringfence them with steel, and crush them economically. Drag the miscreants to the International Court and expose their vile conduct to the world. Encourage more enlightened members of their societies to stand up, fight for themselves, and eventually take over. This will take time and will not be easy, but we have no alternative if we wish to promote more civilised standards.

ffinnochio, Education doesn't necessarily mean minds won't be warped by a wicked ideology, I dare say these individuals see themselves as "agents for change" anyway, but not in a positive way. Many of those going to Syria and Iraq from the UK were in higher education. It would seem that young women are also susceptible to being radicalised if we are to believe the numbers that have left the UK to become Jihadi drudges, if they had gone on to higher education then that's money wasted. What can you say about young women who willingly embrace a life from inside a human tent. Some of these shameful females also go out to the ISIS held areas to run brothels in which Yazidi and Christian women/children have been placed, so no sense of the sisterhood there then.

Watching the BBC news earlier a report from a German journalist who has been inside Mosul, I believe, showed a shop which contained literature on how to treat slaves.

What a ghastly religion!

UNICEF. Develop and provide a good and comprehensive education for ALL children worldwide. Educate a child well, and he/she will be in a position to be their own agent for change. Important for young girls, but also important for young boys, who are more in danger of being radicalised by religious fundamentalism. It is this patterning that provides the fanatics of the future. This chain must be broken.

In the short term, I despair, but firmly believe that investment in education will help future generations.

Yes all true. But just because its difficult doesn't mean we should forget about it. I've signed the petition, written to my MP and pledged to support a small charity set up to help with education and health for these women. A tiny fraction but its a start. It's something but nothing like enough for me to sleep easy. Wish I could do more but its not a matter for individual Grans.

My sentiments precisely......
Well put TerriBull

I signed the petition, yes I share your thoughts Jane, it makes me want to cry for these poor people who have lived for centuries in Iraq.

It never ceases to amaze me that the fundamentalist branches of Islam seek the harshest punishments any perceived female sexual transgressions, but think it's justifiable to rape and enslave the women and children of their captives. If there is a God may they burn in hell for their wickedness.

It also appalls me the way they always have to chant something along the lines of "there is no God but Allah" or some similar bullshit before committing a vile atrocity on their fellow man.

The horrors that are coming out of the ISIS held regions have a surreal feel about them, it's like living in a parallel universe. On one hand we are bombarded with all manner of facile drivel about celebrities lives whilst simultaneously a group of religious fanatics are unleashing unremitting hell on anyone who won't convert to their beliefs.

As I said earlier, it means the retaliations are even worse......
The ideology of these people is so depraved trying to even get one step ahead of them seems to be almost impossible.
I fear for the next atrocity will be , seems nearly always the innocent and least able to do anything who are targeted.

What a mess - military involvement is all very well if you can identify and isolate your target. I am not sure that it is possible to do that in this situation. And getting it wrong is too dreadful to contemplate.

I think that military action can create martyrs and encourage recruitment to extremist groups.

As papaoscar says - who to trust?

It is chilling that in an era of scientific and knowledge-based advance some societies are reverting to the primitive - the potential for real human progress is obliterated.

I have no answers - it makes me despair. It almost makes you nostalgic for former times when we simply did not know what was happening on the other side of the world. Head in sand......