ISIS

[*jason*]

(01-23-2017, 07:58 PM)Benton Wrote: Well, I already knew we were bombing them regularly and have been for a while. Since there was this thread about it, I didn't know if that was something we already know.



Seriously, though, as I said in that post, we're bombing them. We've been bombing them. We've had time tables for bombing them. A 30 day timetable isn't going to be any different than months worth of bombing if we're just doing what we've been doing. If military command unchanged — which so far is 99% the same — I don't see where there's any reason to think 30 drone attacks will be any different than 30 drone attacks.

And if anything, it sets us up for a huge failure. In 30 days, if ISIS isn't eliminated (or whatever word Trump used), that's another win in their recruiting when 30 days becomes 60, 90, 120. I won't knock Trump for being unable to eliminate ISIS (he can't, no more than Obama could) because one guy — even the POTUS — can't be held accountable for wiping out an ideology. Unless his plan is genocide (and it shouldn't be), then he's going to fail like every commander from every country before him.

The best thing he can do — in my opinion as an arm chair general — is keep Obama's promise: leave. Don't set a 30 day timetable for the impossible, set a realistic time frame for complete withdrawal. Let the fighting there run its course and instead of trying to decide who wins, decide who we help in terms of accepting refugees, reconstruction aide, etc.

This... 100%

How long will it take us to realize that our mere presence in the region, and the "allies" that we choose there are the root of all of our problem? The idea behind the Islamic State won't be wiped out in 30 years let alone 30 days. It appeals to disaffected young men... There are no shortage of them in the ME. Hell, there are plenty of them in this country. Their use of social media creates the perfect storm. ISIS was already soundly defeated in Iraq during the surge. Their remanents just went underground and regrouped. When the war broke out in Syria they made their next move. Defeat them there, and they will spring up in Europe, or Indonesia, or wherever...

I think McC said this country could use a unifying goal. We as a nation could strive to get our shit together with different energy sources. It's unlikely to happen, if it did, it wouldn't be successful overnight... But neither will destroying ISIS.

But yeah... We need outta there. To hell with Saudi Arabia, Israel, Jordan, and all of our other "friends" in the region.