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Thursday, December 10, 2015

What Will it Take?

Written November 15, 2015
By Amy Galvez

"It's not an American Fight."  Words by Hillary Clinton during the democratic debate just one day after ISIS killed 129 and wounded over 200 in Paris on November 13th.   During the attack a terrorist was heard saying "American blood is best and we will taste it soon"  This, coming on the heels of ISIS blowing up a Russian jetliner over Egypt on October 31st, killing 224 people. Just before the Paris attack, 43 were killed and 200 injured by ISIS in Beirut when two suicide bombers blew themselves up in a shopping district. This just hits the high profile attacks of the last two weeks.  How many more were killed by ISIS in Iraq and Syrai during that time?

ISIS has infiltrating and is carrying out attacks in not only neighboring countries, but in those  outside of the tumultuous Middle East. When does this become an American Fight?  Will President Obama stay the course of Foreign policy driven by political expedience?  Make no mistake about it, decisions regarding national security and use of the military are politically driven and must fit the agenda. We've seen him repeatedly ignore assessments and recommendations from military leaders with intricate knowledge of threats and insight as to what should be done to mitigate those threats. And repeatedly, we've seen many of these high level military leaders relieved of duty because they dared to present facts to the president.

"No boots on the ground."  How many times have we  heard those words uttered from the president and his administration?  President Obama pledged to not be drug into another ground war in Iraq.  After all, he ended the war in Iraq.  That was the narrative and that's the agenda. Obama conceded and allowed limited airstrikes against ISIS but he gave no help to the peshmerga who begged for U.S. help, and with the right equipment could have made a serious dent in the expansion of ISIS .  But with the need to look like he was engaged and appear that he was taking action,  no boots on the ground turned into boots on the ground but "not in combat".  A U.S. Soldier was killed while "not in combat" on October 22nd in a raid led by Iraqi troops to free 70 hostigaes . The president has placed American troops in the path of the most brutal terrorists in modern times, but it's "not combat".  Using the military in this manner, putting them in harm's way with a battle plan of political expedience, makes President Obama unfit to lead the military. 

The downing of the Russian jet by ISIS didn't seem to phase us much, but will the coordinated and devastating terrorist attacks by ISIS in Paris get the attention of our president?  We say we stand with Paris but we'll do nothing.  It's not an American fight.  Why not?  They said they're coming for us.  Why don't we believe them?  Does anyone really think ISIS does not need to be stopped? One would think self preservation would kick in and we'd pull out all the stops to destroy ISIS so they don't carry out attacks here. But that's not likely with this administration.  No one likes war, and especially me  War cost my family dearly.  But they have declared war on us and saying we don't like war will result in devastation.

Where much is given, much is required.  The greatness of America is not just for us to live comfortably.  Our greatness requires we do what others can't.  We must lead in the fight agains ISIS, not only for our own future, but for the future existence of others.  




Master Sgt Joshua Wheeler killed in Iraq freeing hostages taken by ISIS.
Our hearts go out to him, and his family.