Don’t Menshn ISIS

As Barack Obama commits United States forces to carry out airstrikes on the group that styles itself the Islamic State, and at the same time ferry relief supplies to tens of thousands of Yazidis who have taken refuge in the mountains around the town of Sinjar, an opportunity has arisen for yet more thought-free punditry to be provided to those who would rather its originators kept their north and south firmly shut.

(c) Doc Hackenbush 2014

That, in turn, brings the opportunity to not bother doing a little homework, go in with both feet and as a result get it plain flat wrong. And there is no finer exponent of this less than artful art than former Tory MP Louise Mensch, now representing the distant constituency of Manhattan Upmarket, who knows more about the Middle East than everyone else put together, so there. She went wrong with her first peep.

“ISIS are paedophiles. Here an ISIS child abuser prepares to rape a 7 year old girl” she asserted. McNeil Willson attempted to enlighten her: “A bit of research would reveal this photo is from an Islamic children’s festival, nothing to do with rape, marriage, paedophiles”. Suggest she does some research? You jest.

“Oh yes, she looks like she’s a Muslim having awesome fun at a festival” snarked Ms Mensch. Ray Moses asked: “Why are you Tweeting something that even the original Tweeter says is fake?” The serially tenacious Tim Ireland of Bloggerheads fame told “Louise, this is extremely reckless and dangerous scare-mongering. Here is the source of the image you use” [yes, it was a children’s festival].

As of this morning, the original Tweet asserting potential rape is still there, despite entreaties to Ms Mensch to engage brain first. In the meantime, she moved effortlessly on to crude triumphalism: “It’s true Obama got ISIS all wrong and Iraq policy all wrong but I don’t care, not today. He is sending airstrikes. Thank you Mr President”. This after her previous wall to wall slagging off of The Prez.

This was followed by her taunting ISIS, some of which was done in Arabic. Those messages are gratuitous and crude, and are not displayed here. What is displayed is her approval of “Come and get it you stone age ISIS bitches”, followed by her subtly nuanced message “just like bin Laden, your fat Rolex-wearing al Baghdadi will end his days cowering before an American muzzle”. Doubtful without ground troops.

Shall we offer one another a sign of peace? No, peace off

And, just in case you missed the hint, this was followed with “Where’s bin Laden now, bitches? Al Baghdadi will beg for his life and hide behind women too”. The author of this warmongering bloodlust quotes the late John Paul II in her current Twitter bio: “War is always a defeat for humanity”. There’s ultimate hypocrisy for you.

The most worrying aspect of the latest Mensch rant, though, is that she was allowed to stand as an MP, and sit a Parliament – then obtain gainful employment from the Murdoch empire. Be worried about power and politics, people. Be very worried.