The Coalition

Many people are concerned about the Islamic State. Almost everyone says that “Something Must Be Done”, but no one is quite sure exactly what. Will there be U.S. “boots on the ground”? Oh no no no. We will build a coalition it’s said. We will coordinate and supply. Provide some logistical support and air cover. If I were an American pilot I’d have some serious issues with that. Combat aircraft are some seriously complex machines, and seriously complex machines break. If your seriously complex machine breaks when you’re flying over hostile territory populated with men who seriously want to cut off your head, who do you want coming to rescue you?, and how long do you want to wait for them to get there? The local guys like the ones who were providing security for the embassy compound at Benghazi?, or the U.S. guys who won’t actually be stationed in the country? Sort of a toss up I guess.

As to the ability of the current administration to build a coalition there are doubts. The current occupant of the White House and his minions never supported the war in Iraq even after it had succeeded and the seedling of a viable representative government had been planted. History shows the success that can be achieved by leaving an adequate follow on force after just such conflicts in Japan, Germany, and Korea but the current administration showed no real interest or commitment to anything beside the domestically promised withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. The dates were announced a year in advance. It was clear to everyone that that the U.S. government was willing to and in fact intent on making the sacrifice of over four thousand lives, thirty thousand wounded, and a monetary costs of well over a Trillion dollars, not to mention Iraqi casualties worth nothing. Who now will risk their own well being, their own blood, their own treasure to stand with a government with so little regard for its own?

The current U.S. government has helped blow up stable governments in Egypt, and Libya, cozied up to the regime in Iran, turning a blind eye to its nuclear intentions and its constantly restated vow and efforts to destroy Israel, shown concern and then turned its back on hundreds of thousands of civilian casualties in Syria, removed missile defense systems from Poland and the Czech Republic in an effort to appease and show “flexibility” to Vladimir (The Impaler), stood idly by while the Crimean Peninsula was invaded and then annexed, and is supplying tuna melt sandwiches to the Ukrainian army as they are being invaded in stead of weapons.

Who will listen to the President and say to themselves “This is a man I can trust”?? Who believes that he intends to “stay the course”?

But that’s just what an average guy thinks.