“It has few other options.” How about this: don’t arm or aid any of America’s enemies. Speak realistically about the jihad threat, and seek to prevent jihad terror attacks at home. Or else go in with ground troops that aren’t crippled by politically correct Rules of Engagement, and crush the Islamic State, and then leave, without indulging in quixotic, self-defeating and ill-informed attempts to create Western-style secular republics in the Middle East.
“Lack of reliable partners in Syria poses daunting challenge to U.S.,” by Patrick J. McDonnell, Los Angeles Times, September 23, 2014 (thanks to Patrick Poole):
…It’s not yet clear whether Washington’s purported allies in Syria are completely on board with the U.S. offensive against Islamic State. One of the administration’s favored moderate rebel factions, Harakat Hazm, part of the Free Syrian Army alliance and a recipient of U.S. missiles and training, issued a statement Tuesday denouncing the “external intervention” — that is, the U.S.-led bombing campaign in Syria — as “an attack on the revolution.”
The group said its main goal was toppling Assad. It is demanding “unconditional arming” of the Free Syrian Army, yet its members also acknowledge fighting alongside Al Nusra Front, the official Al Qaeda force in Syria.
Still, the country’s motley bands of fighters labeled as moderates may well be the White House’s best hope for now. It has few other options….
Beagle says
Shia death squads are reliable. Iranian Pasdaran is reliable.
Reliability is not the only thing one needs in a military force. Every time we rely on Muslim irregular forces it backfires horribly at worst or disappoints significantly at best.
Our military is the only group of people with the right to be ‘war weary’ and they’re shouting from the rooftops US troops need to be used.
NOT FOR NATION-BUILDING (sorry, emotional) but to win any serious conflict against a real opponent.
Robert Gerber says
I like Patrick McDonnell’s idea. That should have been done in Afghanistan and Iraq. And, take no prisoners.
TH says
At this stage is it probably sufficient to bomb them both with traditional piloted planes or drones and send in only special forces. With Obama’s fumbling, it is likley that in the future these will not be sufficient.
AnneM says
Then become the “boots on the ground.”
Salah says
Many JW readers still don’t get it: Obama is aiding and arming America’s enemies because HE IS THE ENEMY.
Destroying America both militarily and economically is his number one priority.
He should face justice and, if found guilty of high treason, EXECUTED.
Wtf? says
I hope this lasts until he is out of the White House and a strong leader gets control. Where’s a George Patton when you need him? He said in 1945 whilst the armies are here in Europe let’s push on and get rid of Stalin.
tom says
That came faster than i expected, i was waiting for an attack on our advisors to be the first clue that we have no allies among jihadists