via The Free Beacon.
Obama said the program will involve a broad coalition “to roll back this terrorist threat.”
“Our objective is clear: we will degrade, and ultimately destroy, ISIL through a comprehensive and sustained counter-terrorism strategy,” he said.
In deference to his liberal anti-war supporters, the president sought to distance the new war from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“It will not involve American combat troops fighting on foreign soil,” Obama said. “This counter-terrorism campaign will be waged through a steady, relentless effort to take out ISIL wherever they exist using our air power and our support for partner forces on the ground.”
Well there it is.
America, or more specifically, certain parts of the American military are going BACK to war in the Middle East.
The COIN Mafia should be proud. They've succeeded in pushing us back into the "generational" war against terrorism...or should I follow the herd and call this a war against an ideology? SOCOM will without a doubt pull conventional forces into the fight to provide security on the objective, to guard their bases and provide logistical support. But SOCOM should be concerned. From the outside looking in they're already fracturing and the force is showing serious signs of strain.
Even more alarming is the fact that the drawdown is continuing and word on the street is that all the services are having recruiting troubles.
Speaking more broadly nothing has changed budget wise. Sequestration still looms. Budget Hawks are still flying high and defense can expect no plus ups and the F-35 still hangs like an albatross around the neck of the Pentagon.
Is it possible that we can look at this decision by the President, pushed by the COIN Mafia as the major incident that causes us to lose a war against a moderately capable opponent in the future?
I hope not, but worry that it is.
Finally, I AM PISSED at how easily the US people have been manipulated into worrying about ISIS. When I was having a shit fit about them murdering and cruicifying Christians and others, the news media couldn't care less. When I was going ape about them driving US supplied vehicles in the open with no US response, the news media could care less.
Then we have 2. I repeat two, journalist killed on camera it suddenly becomes an action that leads to another conflict? Don't get me wrong but it doesn't make sense! The killing of two journalists is a tragedy, but to go to war over that is insanity.
We're setting ourselves up for a strategic mistake of huge proportions and no one seems to be thinking past public opinion polls.
