Let’s make it three for three in terms of consecutive weeks of referencing a Comedy Central political pundit because, well, this whole ISIS thing is making a mockery of consistency.
First, we go to war to rid of the terrorist group al Qaeda. Then, screaming the word “victory,” President George W. Bush thought it’d be a good idea to stick around and build a democracy. The fighting continued year after year and then President Obama pulled troops out of Iraq, feeling confident the Iraqi army, supplied with American equipment, could hold down the fort.
Hint, hint: they didn’t. So now what?
It seems that we are stuck in some mudblood sort of confusion over whether or not the President has the authority — which, surprise, he says he does — and over whether or not we’re actually at war. Yes, that scary word; two consonants, one vowel, and a whole lot of money, time, and commitment.
One thing does seem sure of all of this, though: save Syria, the world thinks ISIS is a bunch of bloody bastards. Per The New York Times, Secretary of State John Kerry noted that seven Arab states have offered to aid the US militarily in the conflict.
The mud confusion doesn’t end there. Obama is authorizing airstrikes on ISIS within Syrian borders after Obama backpedaled from raids on Syria last year. This has Russia citing that any US airstrike on Syria without UN backing would be an act of aggression.
In the middle of all of this, Kerry is scouring the Middle East for allies aimed at not only militarily combating ISIS, but cutting it off from its oil black market in Turkey, a major source of its revenue. While the unsuccessful 2004 presidential candidate couldn’t win on the promise of strong diplomacy then, let’s hope, 10 years later, he can win now.
Further beneath the muck of ISIS lays the definition of what exactly it is. “Is it an Islamic jihadist group?” is the question of the day. Allow me to leave my footprint in the mud, if you will.
ISIS is not an Islamic extremist group because ISIS is not Islamic. They are savages. They are violent textbook terrorists. They are dead.
Seventy percent of Americans, according to NBCnews.com, [don’t believe the US will accomplish its goals against ISIS.](http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/isis-terror/large-majority-americans-
lack-confidence-obama-mission-destroy-isis-poll-n202976)
I say this: If you cannot believe in the US to thwart this threat, then what are we doing but awarding ISIS its victory? Do we really believe them to be better than the US military? I think not. I know not. I refuse to believe anything less.
Don’t believe in Obama all you want. But believe in the boys going abroad and believe in the nation, because if you don’t, you have nothing. If you don’t believe, ISIS wins, and we’re not a nation of losers. After all, it is red, white and you, isn’t it?
