This will be our reply to violence...

I did too. Expect the French team were glad to get home.

We hoped that the result would be a draw

I don't watch football but I did watch the beginning of the England/ France friendly as I knew it would be an emotional event. Both sides sang the Marseillese after our Anthem had been sung. Even Prince William joined in. ( now wearing specs). It was very moving and I got quite tearful. Not watching the rest of it.
Sorry to digress

Not exactly rousing is it? Land of Hope and Glory or Rule Britannia might go down better.

It did occur to me after the minutes silence that we may not have spontaneously broken into song with God save Our Gracious Queen as the French sung the Marseilles.

France said the air strikes destroyed an ISIL training camp and munitions dump in Raqqa.

But Al Jazeera has reported today that the French air strikes had targeted abandoned ISIL bases in the parts of the city where there are no civilians or ISIL fighters. It's now been confirmed no civilians killed or injured, although it's thought several ISIL fighters at checkpoints were killed.

Yesterday when they were talking on the radio about the campaign to get the Eagles Of Death Metal's cover of 'Save A Prayer' to No1, they did say it was hoped it could be kept there until Christmas. Also the charity the royalties will be donated to is going to be announced later.

Isn't Raqqa the main known stronghold of IS? That 's where the French are bombing.

ISIS is an amorphous organisation, it probably has supporters in everything country in the world. They're far more sinister and infiltrated than Al Quaeda or the Taliban, who had identifiable enclaves.
It will be the Intelligence and Security services who will be key to any action against them.
They're a very different enemy, with currently the upper hand; it makes the whole situation very unpredictable and volatile.

They're a good lot, those lads.

I wondered that too, about the Koran reading. But I wonder if there's going to be a storyline where the young pub girl decides to convert. (!)

Just read that Duran Duran are donating profits from Eagles Of Death Metal's cover of 'Save A Prayer' to charity.

Was the quote from the Koran on Eastenders last night inserted after the events or just a co incidence?

Good point, or a kettle drum?

Alea that is simply ridiculous - a cello indeed. Try something more solid like an E flat tuba perhaps.

Nobody is daft enough to believes music will defeat IS

I think people are using music for another purpose altogether.....duh!

Hitting them and very the head with a cello might be an idea though . . .
I think it is an affirmation of civilisation like the young man who towed his piano through the Paris streets and played "Imagine" on Saturday or the cellist of Sarajevo.
What we can do is not let these atrocities reduce us to their level, the destruction of world heritage site age-old temples by IS, the brutalisation they represent.
It is like those people who sincerely feel that their Christian Faith gives them strength to stand up to death threats, isn't it? It's what is inside us that IS cannot destroy.

I would sing it as well.

I would sing it (God help them) if I was there.

Beats me why some posters think others believe music can defeat IS or any other terrorist/aggressor. It's a bit of an insult to our intelligence.

All some of us are saying is music can have a place in our emotions when we think about what is going on around us. For some it will be listening to music, for others it will be playing it - and for some it may be both. Nobody is suggesting we try to defeat IS by playing Beethoven's 5th or hitting them over the head with a violin.

And I would have more respect for Julia Hartley-Brewer if she had written the jihadists hate us and want to kill us, not Islamists. Talk about tarring everyone with the same brush.

Well, obviously just singing is not the answer, but music and song brings people together, lifts people's hearts in troubled times and some music - such as national anthems - makes people stalwart.

Yes Kazzer I remember the story of the Sarejavo cellist. Amazing and very pertinent to this thread. His bravery sitting every day in the same place under fire playing his cello. It is definitely worth a read.

A very nice sentiment but if you think playing music will help you need t read this article:-

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/islamic-state/11998324/Islamists-hate-us-and-their-aim-is-to-kill-us.-We-have-a-choice-kill-or-be-killed.-Which-is-it-to-be.html?WT.mc_id=e_DM63601&WT.tsrc=email&etype=Edi_Pol_New_NEW_TEMPLATE&utm_source=email&utm_medium=Edi_Pol_New_NEW_TEMPLATE_2015_11_17&utm_campaign=DM63601

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I'll be honest and say I don't think I would sing another country's anthem. I will stand and be silent, wear a ribbon, etc. to show my respect, but singing any other country's anthem just doesn't feel right to me. I'm not particularly nationalistic either.

I hope most people will humm or lala.