Islamic State vs. The World (except Canada)

[politicallefty]

I hope the CINC will take the air campaign into Syria. I'm not bloodthirsty but we really need to kill as many of these militants as we can while they are an organized force. There are way too many Westerners that I think this represents a clear and direct threat. Id say the US and allies also must cultivate local relationships so that we can properly close off escape routes.

I agree. I've been as anti-war as anyone and have always believed the Iraq War was wrong. However, I see no way around avoiding involvement. I do not support putting American boots back on the ground. We, along with our allies, should be using our air superiority to maximum advantage. At the same, I'm hesitant with who we supply arms to, but I do believe the Kurds are the most trustworthy in the region with advanced weaponry. It is people such as them that must fight the ground war. There is no other alternative than the complete extermination of ISIS off the face of the Earth.

[politicallefty]

I didn't say that alone would be a cure-all for the situation in the region, just as a Western air campaign isn't going to work alone. It is of vital importance to establish a strong Kurdish front in that area, and they are among a very limited few I'm willing to trust in the Middle East with our advanced weaponry. The remainder of the ground war will have to be fought by those we cannot fully trust, including the Iraqi government. It also means we will be faced with aligning ourselves with enemies so that we are inevitably on the same side as Assad's Syria and Iran. As I stated above, I believe it is paramount that ISIS be exterminated. They are enemies of humanity itself and cannot be allowed to remain.

I have to say I'm actually getting tired of the increasing isolationist attitude of the anti-war crowd that I was once in total agreement with. I do not equate the Bush policy of preemptive intervention with one of internationalist cooperation. There is a difference between a bombing campaign and putting boots on the ground.

[politicallefty]

If it were really as easy as just dropping bombs until the bad guys went away our problems in the Middle East would've disappeared a long time ago. There are sadly many people in the Middle East with a passionate, murderous hatred of the US and it doesn't come from nowhere. In fact, it just keeps getting worse and worse as we keep meddling (invading Iraq, training and supplying "freedom fighters" in Syria, etc) and now things are more dangerous than ever. Kicking the hornets' nest with more bombing in a vain attempt to "exterminate" a well-funded decentralized terrorist group full of zealous ideological extremists will only breed more hatred and blowback in the long term. We've done enough damage as it is and every time we try to "help" things only end up worse and more dangerous.

Once again, I will state that I do not believe a bombing campaign alone will solve this issue. I for one will not stand by as our civilians are murdered in cold blood and many others are killed solely for the crime of not belonging to the proper religious sect (or whatever other whim they decide to slaughter civilians). ISIS is a monstrous genocidal organization that would kill millions if given the chance. They have no allies, let alone ones in the region. On this, Western countries are in almost full agreement with Iran, Iraq, and Assad's Syria. This isn't just America deciding to unilaterally intervene in the Middle East. They are killing more Muslims than anyone else, not to mention the pure terror they are inflicting on the general population. If you think that sort of action should continue without response, we are in two completely different worlds.

[politicallefty]

Bill Kristol: What's the harm in bombing and seeing what happens?

Bill Kristol is an awful individual. I do not equate my proposition with whatever he is putting foward. He has no interest in the benefit of the general Middle East population. Kristol is an arch-neocon that has absolutely no regard for what happens in the Middle East outside of Israel. My proposal for an air campaign relies heavily upon the ground forces in the area. In other words, for example, we should not be bombing Syrian territory without their permission (although I'm certain it would be granted against an enemy such as ISIS). I'd strongly prefer that we are an invited force into the area, rather than one that moves in to impose its will at random.