'should nobody have lifted a hand while Assad's thugs publicly massacred his people - that was what was happenin'

Well the International Brigade and the factions opposing Franco probably didn't have completely clean sheet. Its not really in the nature of war that either side is free from the taint of atrocities.

it sounds to me as though you are grouping them together as comparable.

either that or you are proposing something far more complicated than i have understood.

in that part of the world its a close call who is the most corrupt.....that's the reality of the choices our leaders have to make. if you think we should be backing ISIS, all I can say is that's your right. Its not my opinion however.