Iraq is the "gift" that keeps on giving, isn't it? ISIS, ISIL, OMG, WTF?
We were out of there, now we're back in. Sort of. No "boots on the ground." Except for a few hundred or thousand or whatever. Just a "strategic" bombing campaign. For now. Just in Iraq. But maybe in Syria too, where we'll work with both the Assad regime and his rebel opposition. Huh? Civilian casualties will be "limited" (but unavoidable, of course). We'll be joined in our efforts once again by a "coalition" of the world's leading democracies, as well as several key Arab nations, such as . . . ??? So far, our global partners have promised to help out by writing letters, making a few phone calls, and folding some of our laundry. Hey, thanks.
These ISIS people are horrible, murderous rat-bastards. Public opinion is inflamed by the grisly beheading of three westerners, but bottom line, ISIS may be ambitious but they're just a bunch of crazoid zealots, terrorist punks. They're not going to take over the world, but because they've shocked us, we're gonna send in the world's armies, navies and air forces and nuke 'em! Really? We need to continue our anti-terrorism activities. We don't need to go to war. (Lindsey Graham and John McCain can stuff it!)
What happened to Obama's "don't do stupid shit" foreign policy? (Which I think is a great philosophy for world affairs, even if the hawks and neo-cons and Fox-bots disagree.) This re-engagement in Iraq looks suspiciously like stupid shit. What's the plan? "Degrade and defeat" ISIS. Fine. How long will that take? Oh, approximately forever! Swell. Can't we just leave bad enough alone? When there's lots of oil and money at stake, apparently not.
Of course, were it not for the utter fiasco of the Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld invasion of 2003, we would not be having this conversation right now.
But in the bigger picture, this region has been beset by religious strife, tribalism and bloodshed for a thousand years. As Jon Stewart often puts it, "MESS-OPOTAMIA."
Call me war-weary and skeptical.
No comments:
Post a Comment