Pamela Geller’s succinct comment on this sums it up: “This is all just cosmetic. Obama lost Iraq. Now he is just trying to save face.” By removing Saddam and installing the weak Shia regime of al-Maliki, the U.S. set the stage for the Sunni jihad that the Islamic State represents. Obama left Iraq precipitously, but on the other hand he could have kept U.S. troops in Iraq for 100 years and it wouldn’t have ended the Sunni-Shiite jihad or quelled the desire to restore the caliphate. These strikes today may weaken the Islamic State, but Obama doesn’t have the stomach or the resources, anymore, to do what would be necessary to destroy the Islamic State entirely.
“Airstrikes Begin: U.S. Navy Planes Drop Bombs on ISIS Forces,” NBC News, August 8, 2014 (thanks to Pamela Geller):
The United States dropped laser-guided bombs on ISIS artillery in Iraq on Friday, the Pentagon said — the beginning of airstrikes threatened a day earlier by President Barack Obama.
The bombs, 500 pounds each, were dropped by two Navy F-18 fighter jets near Erbil, the strategically important city that serves as the Kurdish capital, and where the United States has a consulate. ISIS was using the artillery to shell Kurdish forces defending Erbil, the Pentagon said.
The fighter jets took off from the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush, in the Persian Gulf. The mission marked a return to U.S. military engagement in Iraq, three years after Obama removed U.S. forces.
Obama, in a speech Thursday night from the White House, said that he was authorizing airstrikes to protect American interests in Iraq and drops of food and water for tens of thousands of refugees trapped by ISIS on a mountain in Iraq.
Rear Adm. John Kirby, a Pentagon spokesman, said Friday: “As the president made clear, the United States military will continue to take direct action against ISIL when they threaten our personnel and facilities.” ISIS and ISIL are acronyms to describe the same Islamic militant group.
mariam rove says
Good. Bomb the hell out of them. M
John Spielman says
I agree , in fact “bomb them back to the Stone Age ” to quote General Curtis Lemay. The one problem is that islam is already stuck in the Stone Age!
umbra says
there is always pre-Stone Age.
dumbledoresarmy says
The Stone Age was far more recognisably and familiarly human than Islam.
Stone Age human ancestors had 1/ amazing representational art depicting living beings (see the Grotto of Chauvet and the Caves of Altamira and Lascaux, for just a few examples) 2/ sculpture (those wonderful little neolithic female “Venus” statuettes) 3/ music – FLUTES – a bird-bone flute 35 000 years old was found in a cave in Central Europe and 4/ pet dogs. And I bet (5) that most of them had some form of alcohol – because the native aboriginal Tasmanians, who were still living in the “stone age” when they were encountered, used to go up to the central highlands of their homeland every summer to get pleasantly “high” on the fizzy readily-fermentable sweet sap of a species of eucalypt that – for obvious reasons – the incoming English speakers quickly dubbed the “Cider Gum” (it ferments so fast nobody’s yet worked out how to bottle it safely).
All five things I just named are things that classical Islam curses and forbids.
John C. Barile says
One sortie does not an air war make. Mr. Obama could stop the “militants” dead in their tracks, if ever he had the gonads to do so, so potent are the U.S. military assets already there. But he won’t because he doesn’t.
John C. Barile says
A U.S. carrier task force is an awesome and beautiful sight, indeed. Such have been a cause for hope since the battles in the Coral Sea and at Midway.
Uri says
Someone tell the Jewess Geller that it was that ass clown George Bush who lost Iraq.
JeffS says
What does her Jewishness have anything to do with it?
Uri says
It’s just an epithet like muslima. Jingoistic female Muslims are referred to as muslimas so Jingoistic Jewish females are Jewesses.
thomas_h says
I think you should acquaint yourself with the meaning of “jingoism” before you use it. You could start with Meriam Webster.
Of course, there is a chance you know the meaning and you think the use of the word is justified. If so, please explain what exactly makes her “jingoistic female”.
Jay Boo says
That clears it all up Uri !
I misinterpreted it as a cheap attention getting device.
jim says
U r a Jack ass. It’s Bush’s fault wahwahwah. Go have it mommy wipe ur ass for u
Beagle says
Ugh, one-trick troll droppings.
The only president who did not inherit problems from the last one was George Washington. He got his from a king.
John C. Barile says
There’s no known cure for Bush [Jr.] Derangement Syndrome. Even a five-year regimen of Obama Serum doesn’t significantly lessen BDS’ symptomatic outbursts among those afflicted with it.
Uri says
Bush inherited a surplus and left behind a huge deficit.
He was a self-serving narcissist – who depended on idiots like Beagle to vote for him.
flakmusic says
“who depended on idiots like Beagle to vote for him.”
I assume that you voted for idiots Al Gore and later Obuma.
If so, that certainly doesn’t make you a wise man. And even if it did you should not call other idiots. You are not at a leftist/liberal/ rally. Restrain yourself, please.
Beagle says
At least I have more than one poorly expressed opinion about one thing. I can’t imagine living my life obsessed about a former president six years out of office. Seek professional help.
Angemon says
Uri posted:
“Bush inherited a surplus and left behind a huge deficit.
He was a self-serving narcissist – who depended on idiots like Beagle to vote for him.”
You sound like you’re one of the brain-dead leftards who voted for Al Gore, the climate-crusader profiteer hypocrite sellout. Shouldn’t you stick to scratching messages in a stone slab? You know, just to keep the sea levels from raising 50 meters by next Tuesday.
Jay Boo says
Uri said of George Bush — “He was a self-serving narcissist ”
How Ironic for Uri to say such a thing
Angemon says
Yep. The Messiah Obama came armed with nothing but a pen… Which he’ll use to cross out the parts of the constitution that limit his powers. And he’ll get away with it because he’s a smiling, fast-talking, charismatic, manipulating guy who sometimes doesn’t seem to know the meaning of the words he spews and would never hurt a fly. Except for that time he killed a fly on TV. Awww, wasn’t that charming?
http://www.wnd.com/2013/03/picture-of-martial-law-alarms-forensic-profiler/
http://paladin.typepad.com/files/obamademoniclook340x224.jpg
Tom M. says
Sure it was a huge mistake to topple a man like Saddam who had the ruthlessness needed to keep the sectarian tensions at bay, nevertheless it is up to President Obama now to destroy these evil bastards.
billreitzes says
Mistake made was not understanding how Muslims rule fellow Muslims, with an iron fist.
Oh sure, there is Muslim democracy of ONE, one man, one vote, one time.
Hamas and the PA are prime examples of this. They were both elected one time, and refuse to leave, or go to accountable elections.
Same crap from both groups.
boissirog says
Isis or Islamic state is created by obama administration. And Qatar and Turkey doing the dirty job to Obama (they are allies) but obama should show to the world that u.s.a. still support the innocent people. You don t see that all the minorities are genocide by obama allies.
Champ says
Go U.S. Navy!
SpiritOf1683 says
And how long before the MSM goes on about its pet subject of ‘innocent ‘ civilians.
dumbledoresarmy says
As far as I am concerned: any military action in Iraq should be very specifically focused on protecting the non-Muslims and getting them OUTTA THERE.
There is *no* economically-viable and *militarily-defensible* chunk of territory that could become an Iraqi Christian-and-Yazidi sovereign state. So one should, at this stage, cut one’s losses.
Obliterate as much of ISIS as one has to do – with extreme prejudice – in order to get the non-Muslims out. The Christians first, and the Yazidi *if* the Yazidi really are certifiably non-Muslim. Then, once they’re out: leave, and slam and lock the gates tight shut behind you. Tell them that if they try anything funny, you’ll blow the dams.
To repeat, if there is nowhere in Mesopotamia within which a defensible (in the LONG term, like *centuries*) and economically-viable enclave/ redoubt could be established for the Christians and Yazidi, then right now the least expensive option is to just get ’em out.
If France or Scandinavia or Australia and a bunch of other countries share them around, there’s enough of them to help tip the demographic balance back toward the Infidels and away from the Ummah Fifth Column.
Our taking them in en masse (as Israel took the fleeing Jews of Iraq, of Yemen, of Egypt, of Lebanon and Syria, of the Maghreb, of Iran, in the 1940s through 1970s) is improbable, alas and shame on us; but it’s probably easier to at least try to persuade our idiot politicians to do *that*, than to take the *other* option which I will now proceed to describe.
And what’s that option? – assist (militarily, it would have to be) the remaining Maronites of Lebanon to root out and turf out out *all* the Muslims from the core of their (Maronite) territory, within which territory the Christians from Iraq and Syria could be settled as well, to create a Christian-and-secular Mont Liban that would then be armed to the teeth, backed to the hilt by all non-Muslim Powers, and assisted to become a defensible *non-Muslim* state with one border on the sea, one border on Israel (no need to worry about attack from that – non-Muslim – direction), and a very heavily-fortified and constantly-patrolled border with the dar al Islam.
And ideally, the next time the Hamasnik jihadis pick a fight, the entire infidel world would weigh in *alongside* Israel, gloves off, no holds barred; and Gaza would be bulldozed flat, every surviving Muslim in Gaza and the Sinai turfed out into Egypt (let the Egyptian army sort out the jihadis from the rest, good luck with that), and the Copts invited and assisted to leave Egypt and settle in Sinai and Gaza to create a sovereign “Nova Aegyptia”, guarding the Suez Canal for the infidels.
Oh, and by the way, and perhaps before doing any of those other things…**obliterate Iran’s nuke project** and turn it into a series of great big smoking holes in the ground.
It’s time *Infidels* started thinking big, too.
However: realistically speaking, right now, the best we can hope for and should be pushing for, is military action by infidel nations to rescue the remaining non-Muslims of Iraq and *get them out*. To avert a *genocide* of the remaining indigenous Assyrian Christians.
But once they’re out…that’s it. NO nation building. NO aid. NO nuthin.
And any Mohammedan – raised that way, or convert – who leaves from the Infidel world, to join ISIS or any other mohammedan jihad outfit in Syria, Iraq or anywhere else – should have his infidel-nation citizenship or residency status evaporate into thin air the moment he leaves our shores.
Islofob IS-1 says
dumbledoresarmy;
A well thought out plan. Much of the ideas looks workable in your propose.
Obama just sent in multi billion dollar hardware to destroy a cannon, so I do not see him really going after isis as yet.
The Yazidi are from a pre islamic “other” faith, for lack of better terms. They are worth accepting as a people, with the Christians that are also under threat. I have not read a lot about them, but they are not followers of islam, a huge plus. Perhaps others here could add more info.
With you on gaza, it is time for that to happen.
You have put a lot of pieces on the board here, it would need some research, overall it is a thinking step into a real, possible future.
Sonshine says
I gather that obama again did not get permission from congress to attack a foreign nation.
David, Thailand says
The only way to stop the IS from consolidating – the only way – is to surround it from the air and deny it the oxygen of expansion by destroying every truck and Jihadist that moves outside the ‘stay’ zone. And when the perimeters are secure, gradually close in.
Many innocents will die through this process, both in the Middle East and the West, because this would open up the US and Europe to Jihadi operations the likes of which we have not seen, yet it will be far fewer than if Obama insists on saving face rather than hundreds of thousands of lives.
Unfortunately, both Europe and the US would rather cling to the high moral ground while on its knees, than set aside democratic niceties by preventing the Caliphate from swallowing up and destroying entire regions, peoples, religions and cultures.
wildjew says
Pamela Geller is right but we need to keep in mind virtually everyone on the right supported George W. Bush, “Operation Iraqi Freedom,” winning hearts and minds, 2 state solution, the Saudis are our “friends,” Dubai ports buyout, etc. Republicans, conservative activists, radio talk show hosts, etc., stood by Bush (I voted for him in 2000; sadly) for seven plus years as he lied about and betrayed Israel, courted Palestinian jihadists, as he repeatedly lied about Islam calling it a religion of peace. Some are still standing by Bush. Is it any wonder we have this Muslim-born nightmare in the White House? When will my side wake up?
Lloyd Miller says
Interesting that Obamites don’t think it matters what happens as long as they can blame it on George Bush or the Shiite government of Iraq, etc.
Regarding George Bush: Of course thinking he could create democracy in an Islamic country was absurd, but stopping nuclear proliferation was valid. Who were the morons that changed his mind of “nation building?”
wildjew says
Barack Obama blames George W. Bush for his many failures because Barack Obama cannot or will not take personal responsibility for his many failures. God only knows if this charlatan sees his failures as failures rather than successes. Critics say Obama is naive and incompetent. I do not share that view. As a conservative and a forty three year registered Republican, I don’t blame Bush for Obama’s failures, I blame Bush for failing to live up to conservative principles (his failure to honor his campaign pledge he would not engage in nation-building for example), for his failure to identify the enemy, for his failure to support our friends (e.g., Israel) and to name our enemy, Islam. Who were the morons who changed Bush’s mind? Maybe he is a liberal who sincerely believes, “the desire for freedom resides in every human heart,” even in the hearts of Islamic savages. Maybe no one changed his mind.
Elisheva14 says
Condoleezza Rice was not a true friend of Israel. She had empathy for the Palestinian cause: identified with them racially. She had Bush’s attention and disagreed with Cheney over many issues. She was influenced by the war in Lebanon and strengthened Hezbollah’s hands after falling for a photo which was a hoax, showing a dead child. She did not have the stomach or guts to fight against terror. Bill Clinton accepted Arafat as a man of peace and was deceived. The US continued to be deceived and consequently Terrorism has increased.
wildjew says
You say Secretary of State Rice had sympathy for the Palestinian cause. Indeed. Have you seen a Republican leader (other than maybe Mike Huckabee because of his Christian faith; who else?) that does not sympathize with the Palestinian cause? I don’t worry too much about the left. Clinton, Obama, Carter, etc. The left is a lost cause. I worry about my side.
John C. Barile says
And Newt Gingrich, don’t forget.
wildjew says
Right. Before 9/11/2001, a Republican candidate’s position on innocent human life (abortion) was a litmus test for me. Since 9/11, it’s been the global jihad / Israel which is at present in the epi-center. That is why I voted for Gingrich in our primary. After the December 11, 2011 Iowa debate where he said the Palestinians are terrorists, the long knives came out against him from Republican elites especially here in Florida. Elliot Abrams and others piled on. Are Republicans so invested in the Palestinian cause that anyone who dissents will be destroyed? The following day after that Iowa debate the Palestinians came out blasting Gingrich and he retreated, sending his spokesman out to declare (even though the night before he said the Palestinians are terrorists dedicated to Israel’s destruction) he supports the two state solution. I don’t know why politicians cannot stand up to these thugs. At any rate Gingrich was head and shoulders above the others (Bachmann dropped out by then) so I voted for Gingrich.
Thomas Wells says
Dropping a few cans of sardines and some water bottles to help tens of thousands of refugees in mountains surrounded by rabid mass murderers; and protecting them with a couple of small bombs dropped on a cannon carrying pick up truck or two, is only encouraging the satanic state by showing how little you care about stopping the horror of their atrocities. The only thing smaller then Obama’s concern for the people in deadly peril this savaged land is his sperm count.