Now, I am not saying that the Islamic State should stay and hold power in those areas that they now control. Far from it, in fact. They should be ousted. Deserve to be ousted. And yes, surely even need to be ousted.
Just let the other nations in the Middle East take care of it, this time.
After all, we in the West are not scoring any popularity contests in the region whenever we get involved militarily. Also, many of those countries seem inclined to seek out a strong military on their own. If you are going to have something like that, then why not go ahead and use it when there is an absolute need to do so?
Again, if this group is as bad as everyone seems to be saying (and I have no doubt that it is), then why not let those most affected by it show a willingness to fight it? Why should the United States, once again, set out for lands far away to wage a costly war, in every sense of that word?
Last month, in a rebuttal to President Obama's request for military intervention in Iraq, my favorite Congressman, Bernie Sanders, responded logically and articulately. Here is what he had to say:
“The Islamic State is a brutal and dangerous terrorist organization which has murdered thousands of innocent men, women and children, including Americans. It must be defeated.
“I voted against the war in Iraq because I feared very much the destabilizing impact it would have on the region. Today, after 13 years in Afghanistan and 12 years in Iraq, after the loss of almost 7,000 troops and the expenditure of trillions of dollars, I very much fear U.S. involvement in an expanding and never-ending quagmire in that region of the world.
“I have supported U.S. airstrikes against ISIS and believe they are authorized under current law, and I support targeted U.S. military efforts to protect U.S. citizens.
“It is my firm belief, however, that the war against ISIS will never be won unless nations in the Middle East step up their military efforts and take more responsibility for the security and stability of their region. The United States and other western powers should support our Middle East allies, but this war will never be won unless Muslim nations in the region lead that fight.
“It is worth remembering that Saudi Arabia, for example, is a nation controlled by one of the wealthiest families in the world and has the fourth largest military budget of any nation. This is a war for the soul of Islam and the Muslim nations must become more heavily engaged.
“I oppose sending U.S. ground troops into combat in another bloody war in the Middle East. I therefore cannot support the resolution in its current form without clearer limitations on the role of U.S. combat troops.”
~ Statement by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) in response to President Barack Obama formally asked Congress to authorize military force in the Middle East against the Islamic State.
Saudi Arabia is controlled by a very wealthy family, and it also follows a very strict, absolutist interpretation of Islam that has some similarities to what the extremists in the Islamic State believe in. Also, like Sanders said, the military of that nation is quite loaded itself.
So, why not have them lead the charge in a proposed military strike against the Islamic State? If they want them out so badly, why not let Saudi Arabia lead the charge?
Why does the United States always have to go to war? Especially when we know the terrible consequences of the last one we had in Iraq? It costs trillions of dollars, which somehow, seemed to surprise many supporters. It was as if they expected the war to be cheap to wage, and profitable once we actually were in it. Of course, it was neither.
Also, most importantly, let us look at the human toll that it took. Over one hundred thousand Iraqis dead, thousands of Americans killed in action (often from so-called "friendly fire", and tens of thousands injured and struggling to adjust back to life after the conflict.
Yet, here we go again, ready for another war in the region!
But we really need to ask ourselves if this time, we will do everything right and meet our objective this time? Or, once again, will we show our limitations and find ourselves bogged down in fighting that, ultimately, places political pressure back here at home to find a way out of the war, only to see the situation destabilize shortly thereafter?
We all know that expression about those not learning from history being doomed to repeat it. We have plenty of recent history in this region, and I believe that these lessons from the past lead to no other conclusion that that of making sure that the United States avoiding yet another war in this region.
Still, a Quinnipiac poll has found that a decisive 62% of Americans are in favor of military intervention against the Islamic State.
But whoever said that Americans these days learn from history?
Mounting Evidence Shows US Does Not Want ISIS Defeated By Justin King for The Anti-Media | February 24, 2015
http://www.mintpressnews.com/mounting-evidence-shows-us-does-not-want-isis-defeated/202479/
New poll finds major American support for sending U.S. ground troops to fight Islamic State Ahead of first big Senate war-powers hearing, study finds 2-to-1 support for sending Americans into combat. By Olivier Knox by Yahoo News, March 4, 2015:
Senator Bernie Sanders Statement on War Powers Resolution Written by Press Release, 11 Feb 2015:
New poll finds major American support for sending U.S. ground troops to fight Islamic State Ahead of first big Senate war-powers hearing, study finds 2-to-1 support for sending Americans into combat. By Olivier Knox by Yahoo News, March 4, 2015:
Senator Bernie Sanders Statement on War Powers Resolution Written by Press Release, 11 Feb 2015:
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