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For how long have energy and infrastructure firms in the Middle East known about the need to protect their critical infrastructure?
Before the developments in Syria over the last five years, nobody was paying attention. Not just firms - states weren't paying attention either.
It's amazing that Syria before the civil war was the Mediterranean's largest oil producer. How they could allow an insurgency to capture those assets, that were probably the most marketable they had, is beyond me.
How do assets become militarised in conflict zones?
It's a process. So how has the Islamic State militarised its assets.? Firstly, they have economised those assets. They've taken them and sold them to the highest bidder, at a low price and then used those proceeds to militarise themselves and their systems.
The day the group leaders can no longer pay their fighters or feed them or house them because they've run out of economic assets, will be the day that their troop numbers will...