NO AMERICAN BOOTS ON THE GROUND

With the advances of the Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist army in Iraq and Syria, America is once again reacting to the argument that we have to confront the bad guys over there or we will have to fight them over here. So our anti-war president has reluctantly authorized the use of American air strikes on ISIS positions. The new war is being supported by a few allies– including even a few Muslim nations. But the President has solemnly promised that there will be no American boots on the ground. Critics, including a number of military experts, quickly came out of the woodwork to point out that, while even “pinprick” air strikes might slow down the ISIS terrorists, somebody’s boots on the ground will be required to defeat them. I want to suggest here that, under the immediate circumstances, the “slow-down-ISIS” strategy may be the right strategy.

First of all, ISIS is more of an immediate threat to Muslim nations in the Middle East than to us here in America. This is their war– and while the fact that a few of those nations have been willing to join the U.S. in bombing ISIS positions, none have agreed to provide boots on the ground! But why should they, if they can con the Americans into doing that for them? Again.

If you have been reading my columns over the years, you know that I am essentially a hawk. Although I have never claimed to be a military expert, my military experience (and my attention to international affairs) has provided a foundation for my strong opinions. And in recent years, I have come to believe that “saving” the people of any Muslim nation is not worth the blood of a single American soldier. Apparently, this is also President Obama’s position– and although I don’t agree with the President on much, I and others of like thinking do have to support him on this.

After more than a decade of war in Iraq and Afghanistan with virtually no positive results, it seems to me that a reasonable response from the people of the United States is to simply say something like, “screw the Muslim world!” If they cannot or will not fight their own war, let them pay the price– and we can worry about any real or imagined threat to our homeland later. My prediction, for what its worth, is that if we were to take that position, the Muslim nations WOULD stand up to defend themselves against the terrorists– and, with our our support, they would win. But, again, why should they do that if they can con the Americans into doing it for them? So far, Obama is resisting the con.

In the meantime, while waiting for some Arab boots to show up, there is a lot to be said for the “slow-down-ISIS” strategy. Keep om mind that life has changed dramatically for the ISIS terrorists over the past couple of weeks. It is unlikely that any terrorist in one of the strike zones would describe that experience as a “pinprick.” They are getting their asses blown off! And they are losing their supplies and military assets by the ton. For months, we have all seen on television convoys of ISIS military vehicles speeding freely down highways in Iraq and Syria, black flags waving and masked soldiers waving and firing their guns into the air. Not today, Bubba! They still may be able to hide among civilians in the cities, but if they are found out in the open, they are dead meat!

Yes, boots on the ground will be required to ultimately defeat ISIS. But those boots have to be Muslim boots. And if the Muslim nations are not willing to provide those boots, then screw them! Never again should American soldiers be asked to volunteer to die for the people of a nation unwilling to defend themselves.

Dennis Reeves Cooper founded Key West The Newspaper (The Blue Paper) in 1994 and was editor and publisher until his retirement in 2012.