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‘Frustration and confusion’ among US troops over mixed message on Islamic State

Sep 4, 2014 1:55 pm By Robert Spencer

obama-finger-“Chase them to the Gates of Hell? How the [f—] are we going to do that when we can’t even leave the front gate of our base!?” Indeed. And how are we going to do that when we continue to pretend that they are not what they are, and that they do not and cannot make recruits in the way that they’re obviously making recruits, and that their motives and goals are not their motives and goals, and that their own justification for their actions is not their own justification for their actions.

“‘Frustration and confusion’ among US troops over mixed message on ISIS,” FoxNews.com, September 4, 2014 (thanks to Kenneth):

America’s GI “boots on the ground” in Iraq are so frustrated with the White House message about their mission against the Islamic State — which Vice President Biden vowed Wednesday to chase “to the gates of Hell” — that they’re wondering how they’ll accomplish the goal “when we can’t even leave the front gate of our base.”

Biden on Wednesday delivered what was probably the toughest statement to date from the administration, declaring, after another U.S. journalist was beheaded by the Islamic State, “we will follow them to the gates of Hell until they are brought to justice.”

But his tough talk was at odds with a message delivered earlier in the day by President Obama, who said that while his administration’s goal is to “destroy” ISIS — it also is to “shrink” it to a “manageable problem.”

Amid the mixed messages, a source in contact with special operators in Iraq told Fox News that “frustration and confusion reign” among Americans on the ground there.

The source relayed the complaint of an unnamed special operator: “Chase them to the Gates of Hell? How the [f—] are we going to do that when we can’t even leave the front gate of our base!?”

Ostensibly, U.S. personnel on the ground in Iraq are there to defend U.S. facilities. The president earlier this week deployed an additional 350 personnel to Baghdad to provide security at the U.S. Embassy and related facilities.

The decision brings the additional U.S. diplomatic security contingent to 820.

Defense officials say that when the additional Marines arrive, they will bring the total number of U.S. troops in Iraq to 1,213.

U.S. military personnel also are engaged in airstrikes against the Islamic State in northern Iraq and helping with humanitarian missions to aid ethnic minorities who have been besieged by the militant group.

But it remains an open question how aggressively the U.S. would expand the fight against ISIS, and whether military in Baghdad would be pulled into that effort.

In a statement earlier this week announcing the additional diplomatic security contingent, the Defense Department said: “The Department of Defense will continue to plan and prepare further military options should they become necessary, and we will remain ready to protect our diplomats, our citizens, and our interests in Iraq, while we continue to work with the Iraqi government to counter the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.”

A strategy for addressing the Islamic State in Iraq, and perhaps Syria, could become clearer in the coming days as Obama meets with British Prime Minister David Cameron and other European allies at a NATO summit in Wales. Secretary of State John Kerry is also heading to the Middle East to meet with allies there. All efforts are aimed at building a coalition to battle the Islamic State.

But the mixed messages about how far the U.S. is willing to go have sowed confusion on Capitol Hill, as well as in the field.

“It’s very confusing,” Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, told Fox News. “The president seems to be a definite maybe.”

Reacting to Obama’s comment about making ISIS “manageable,” he said: “That’s when you are closing a lane on the freeway and you have got to go down the freeway with three lanes instead of four, then you manage it. But this is ISIS. They want death and destruction to the United States of America.”

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Filed Under: Barack Obama, Islamic State (aka ISIS, ISIL, Daesh), willful ignorance Tagged With: featured


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Comments

  1. jihad3tracker says

    Sep 4, 2014 at 2:16 pm

    Joe Biden only succeeded in making himself look like an impotent old guy impersonating a Vice-Prez able to back up his threat.

    ISIS needs an occasional laugh ( it’s hard work keeping their knives sharp enough these days ) and Biden gave them a belly-buster.

    • Bronson says

      Sep 5, 2014 at 7:32 am

      Biden is a fool who is fooling no one with his fake bluster, least of all jihadists. After every jihadist beheading or bombing involving US nationals we always hear this, e.g. after Benghazi, then nothing happens.

  2. SteveInSC says

    Sep 4, 2014 at 2:23 pm

    Biden’s comments were the trial balloon to see how much of an uproar there will be on the Left to the idea that we might put troops in Iraq, nothing more. If there is no squealing, then the Administration might start to seriously look at taking action (which will be so hemmed in by the rules of engagement that they might as well not be there). If the squealing becomes excessive, the Administration will just say, “Well that’s just Joe,” and then do nothing. Everything is about domestic politics to the Obama Administration. If no one on the Left cares enough that Christians are being killed, driven from their homes and persecuted; that the Yazidi are being butchered; or that the ISIS bastards are beheading people, then Obama doesn’t care enough to take action. Right and wrong don’t matter, national interest doesn’t matter, just plain human kindness doesn’t matter. It’s all about what he and his people can make of the situation politically, nothing else. My fear is that the situation will get massively out of hand before Obama leaves office and the damage will be unsustainable.

    • mortimer says

      Sep 4, 2014 at 2:26 pm

      Amen…Winston Churchill said something similar about confronting a problem when it is small, rather than waiting until it is great and very costly.

      It is time for all Western governments to see that Islam is a warrior cult. Period.

      • cliffface says

        Sep 5, 2014 at 2:13 am

        Careful mortimer you get arrested and locked up for quoting Churchill these days.

    • John C. Barile says

      Sep 4, 2014 at 2:29 pm

      My thoughts exactly–now that you explained it all so well.

    • Beagle says

      Sep 4, 2014 at 2:37 pm

      We need a thumbs up button.

    • Jack Gordon says

      Sep 5, 2014 at 10:50 am

      Even trial balloons should be made of sterner stuff than this buffoon.

  3. mortimer says

    Sep 4, 2014 at 2:23 pm

    In other words, chase shadows in a dream, talk tough and do nothing.

    Then tell the CIA and FBI not to learn the doctrines of abrogation, the kafir and jihad upon which mainstream Islam is built…not the fantasy Islam of Kerry and Obama.

  4. Beagle says

    Sep 4, 2014 at 2:32 pm

    “Chase them to the Gates of Hell? How the [f—] are we going to do that when we can’t even leave the front gate of our base!?”
    — —

    LOL

    I love you guys and gals. I wish modern politicians would declare war and let you do what you do with guts and professionalism, and stay out of your way! Of course that would require politicians to diplomatically secure you logistics corridors, allies, stop spending all our money on porn-surfing (but D voting) bureaucrats, and take a slight political risk every once in a while. Can’t have that.

    • Uri says

      Sep 4, 2014 at 2:40 pm

      Sure – let’s rush into Iraq with our ground troops so the Shia can sit on their lazy, cowardly asses — and run at the first sound of gunfire.

      The Shia militias of Iraq are our good good friends. We must defend them with our blood and with our treasure – right Beage?

      • Beagle says

        Sep 4, 2014 at 3:09 pm

        Hey, guy who hasn’t been keeping score, Obama is already trickling troops into Iraq Vietnam-style.

      • Champ says

        Sep 4, 2014 at 3:16 pm

        “uri” wrote:

        Sure – let’s rush into Iraq with our ground troops so the Shia can sit on their lazy, cowardly asses — and run at the first sound of gunfire.

        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

        “uri” is clearly the coward here …yeah he would have us do nuttin’, whatta wuss!!

        And last week “uri” wrote this to me:

        “Get a life, loser”

        Well, it’s pretty obvious that “uri” was projecting his own weak character–or lack thereof, onto me.

        Hey you’re the loser, pal …and a coward to boot. Get lost!

        • Uri says

          Sep 4, 2014 at 3:22 pm

          Should not have called you a loser. I apologize. Some of your posts are informative – when you’re not delivering gratuitous kicks at Obama.

          But I do apologize fir name calling.

        • Champ says

          Sep 4, 2014 at 3:42 pm

          … when you’re not delivering gratuitous kicks at Obama.

          ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

          Gratuitous kicks are unwarranted, so you aren’t being accurate or honest here.

          obama *deserves* being criticized. C’mon! …you would have to be living under a rock not to notice the enormous harm obama has caused this country, not to mention the world!

          As to your apology–why are you apologizing now? Because you felt the sting of your own words used against you? Where was your ‘apology’ a week ago after you made that “gratuitous” remark to me? Well, *forgive me* if I find your apology a tad-bit late and somewhat disingenuous. That said, I do accept it.

          But I still find you cowardly. And this is not name calling. I am simply being honest and accurate. Something you have difficulty demonstrating here.

      • don vito says

        Sep 4, 2014 at 11:47 pm

        Uree, Obraindead’s middle finger is for his supporters. You know, the ones that look so good under the bus. He is channeling you!

  5. imboonga says

    Sep 4, 2014 at 2:33 pm

    Im sick to death of all these news analysts on Foxnews and elsewhere that continue to say that ISIS does not represent islam!

  6. mariam rove says

    Sep 4, 2014 at 2:43 pm

    Sometimes I think I am having a bad dream with Obama in the office. M

    • Uri says

      Sep 4, 2014 at 3:25 pm

      Do you miss George Bush?? The poseur – the boaster – the high and dry AA guy who doesn’t need the 12 steps because he can manufacture his own intoxication.

      Oy vey!!!

      Everything he touched turned to kaka.

      • islamisdeath says

        Sep 4, 2014 at 11:16 pm

        you can be disgusted with the poser currently in the White House without being a W fan. But knocking Bush is the only thing poser fans have in their arsenal.

  7. Bezelel says

    Sep 4, 2014 at 2:48 pm

    Last century, when I was active duty, my Dad sent to me a hand drawn birthday card with a picture of a cartoon mushroom wearing my rank. It said, “I think I’m a mushroom cause they keep me in the dark and feed me bullshit”
    Hang in their Troops, We Love You…

  8. Jovial Joe says

    Sep 4, 2014 at 3:00 pm

    A commander who cannot command; a strategist without a strategy; a President presiding over nothing; that’s our Barry Obama.

    • Uri says

      Sep 4, 2014 at 3:29 pm

      Do you prefer the more retarded type of leader – who is all bluster and bravado – the type to just do anything – anything at all – so as not to be seen as a clueless clown.

      Do you miss the buffoon George Bush?

      Does reflection give you a headache?

      • Champ says

        Sep 4, 2014 at 3:59 pm

        Oh please …

        And Clinton was a disaster, too.

        Using George Bush as a way to defend obama is absolutely pathetic.

        Instead, how about defending obama with *his* list of accomplishments …

        Go ahead, list them for us. I dare you.

      • Jovial Joe says

        Sep 4, 2014 at 4:21 pm

        A bit of commanding, strategising and presiding is all I ask. You’ve got more get up and go in you than that buffoon.

      • don vito says

        Sep 4, 2014 at 11:59 pm

        Clinton, he/she, owonderman seem more like the boasters. The sea level stops rising………..etc…………., bugger off.

  9. bobm says

    Sep 4, 2014 at 3:05 pm

    this Pres. believes islam is a Legitimate religion.. he has one foot still in islam..he cannot help but give mixed messages… he is compromised ..

  10. Champ says

    Sep 4, 2014 at 5:27 pm

    NO president worth his salt should EVER be caught using his middle finger like this. What a vile thing for a president to do? And this is NO accident. I am sooo ashamed of him–and embarrassed, too.

    obama *knows* that he’s being photographed, and yet he continues to be caught making this obscene gesture–over, and over again. And hes been called on it by the media, and yet he won’t stop.

    How many times has obama used his middle finger while the cameras are on? Countless times! Disgusting, Mr. President …

    obama certainly has defined himself by repeatedly using his middle finger. Yeah only low-life’s are caught on tape (or camera) doing that and won’t stop.

    And I challenge “uri” to defend the indefensible now.

  11. dumbledoresarmy says

    Sep 4, 2014 at 6:23 pm

    Their mission should be this: go in, create (by all means necessary) an ISIS-free zone to function as a beachhead, then – with the help of the likes of Barnabas Fund and Canon Andrew White, Vicar of Baghdad, to act as guides, interpreters, and processors – gather up all the remaining indigenous (Assyrian, Chaldean) Christians of Iraq, who are in imminent danger of being ritually Islamically slaughtered right down to the last person, and pull them out in an epic airlift, packing them onto plane after plane after plane (as the Israelis did, back in the day, for the Jews of Yemen and for many of the Jews of…Iraq) and eliminating with extreme prejudice any mohammedan who attempts to impede or attack this Operation Exodus. When the last plane full of the last rescuees has departed for the lands of the non-Muslims, then the troops depart too. (Personally, I’d be inclined, before departing, to boobytrap every last abandoned church, monastery and Christian-owned home or business, so that the predatory mohammedans going in to loot and destroy would experience many, many very nasty surprises).

    I think the troops would *enjoy* obliterating the rapists, the kidnappers, the extortionists, the beheaders…and cheating them, massively, of their non-Muslim prey.

    I say, let’s get all the remaining non-Muslims out of Mesopotamia, because I don’t see that there’s any obviously definable, physically defensible and economically viable (in the long term, like, centuries) chunk of territory within what is currently called “Iraq”, that could be carved out and assisted to become an armed and heavily-fortified self-subsistent sovereign *non-Muslim* Assyrian/ Chaldean *state* modelled on the Israeli example.

    If all brought out to Infidel-majority lands, the Assyrian and Chaldean Christians would assimilate, contribute, and boost by some hundreds of thousands the numbers of *non-Muslims* in the lands that receive them. If they’re left in Iraq they all get killed and the total number of the world’s Infidels *diminishes* by the hundreds of thousands.

  12. David, Thailand says

    Sep 4, 2014 at 7:37 pm

    NATO is meeting to discuss strategy against ISIS.

    Turkey is a member of NATO.

    Turkey supports and fully cooperates with ISIS.

    And so our mad world goes proudly madder.

  13. David says

    Sep 4, 2014 at 11:32 pm

    Do us a favor. If you “follow them to the gates of Hell” push them in!!

  14. Jax Tolmen says

    Sep 5, 2014 at 12:21 am

    Just a thought – if the US and the rest of the Western world are unwilling to take this threat seriously – then what’s to stop private citizens from launching a crusade?

    Under the Geneva Convention and the Mercenary Resolution, an organised and trained private counter insurgency does not violate international law. A charitable organisation could be set up that is designed to protect minorities in the middle east, and the “crusaders” could operate as a not – for – profit PMC. As long as the PMC confines their operations to protecting the charities interests, it is not illegal. If those interests happen to be in ISIS held territory (which is technically not a sovereign nation and therefore is not a legitimate actor in a conflict) it may be legal.

  15. Champ says

    Sep 5, 2014 at 2:35 am

    President George W. Bush’s chilling warning on Iraq in 2007:

    http://video.foxnews.com/v/3768333397001/president-george-w-bushs-chilling-warning-on-iraq-in-2007/#sp=show-clips

  16. Michael Carpenter says

    Sep 5, 2014 at 6:26 am

    Of course there is confusion in the military. We have a president that believes America’s military involvement in the middle east is wrong and refuses to take America into a leadership roll of addressing issues. While some of his supporting staff side with him, the Pentagon is well aware of what needs to be done and are held back. The president makes a half assed attempt to address issues but can’t fully commit because he adopts the Bill Ayers and Reverend Wright philosophy (his mentors) that American military involvement is evil.

  17. Ralph says

    Sep 5, 2014 at 11:58 am

    Genisis 16: 7 The angel of the Lord found Hagar near a spring in the desert; it was the spring that is beside the road to Shur. 8 And he said, “Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?”

    “I’m running away from my mistress Sarai,” she answered.

    9 Then the angel of the Lord told her, “Go back to your mistress and submit to her.” 10 The angel added, “I will increase your descendants so much that they will be too numerous to count.”

    11 The angel of the Lord also said to her:

    “You are now pregnant
    and you will give birth to a son.
    You shall name him Ishmael,[a]
    for the Lord has heard of your misery.
    12 He will be a wild donkey of a man;
    his hand will be against everyone
    and everyone’s hand against him,
    and he will live in hostility
    toward[b] all his brothers.”
    13 She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen[c] the One who sees me.” 14 That is why the well was called Beer Lahai Roi[d]; it is still there, between Kadesh and Bered.

    15 So Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram gave the name Ishmael to the son she had borne. 16 Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore him Ishmael.

  18. Jerry says

    Sep 6, 2014 at 3:16 am

    Islam is the Cancer.
    Some of it, allegedly “moderate” is only temporarily benign.
    When encountering malignancy, intermixed with some cells,
    temporarily benign, sometimes radical surgery is the only
    required solution.

    Destroy the Cancer

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