Posted on 08/21/2014 1:48:47 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
WASHINGTON — Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Thursday afternoon that it would not be possible to defeat the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria without attacking its fighters in Syria.
General Dempsey, speaking at a news conference with Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, did not commit the United States to carrying out airstrikes in Syria, and the Obama administration’s broader strategy for defeating the Sunni militant group remained unclear.
Earlier in the day, the Pentagon announced that American warplanes had conducted six more strikes on ISIS targets in the vicinity of the Mosul Dam in Iraq, destroying three Humvees, another vehicle and several improvised explosive device emplacements. The ISIS fighters are a highly mobile force that may number as many as 17,000 men and can move across the Iraq-Syria border with impunity, according to American military and civilian officials.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Syria doesn’t mind
A fine mess Obama has got us into.
“Syria doesn’t mind”
I don’t know its current state, but Syria had Russia’s most up-to-date anti-air systems. I read they could shoot down F-16’s flying low. Israel has been launching glider bombs from Lebanese air space. But ISIS is in the other side of Syria. So, air missions would be fraught with danger to the pilots and political risk for the president. (He’s not a big political risk taker.) I suppose drones are an option, but what is really needed if we’re serious is troops on the ground. I’d say, hell no!
Also, we can’t count on Turkey who is clearly supporting ISIS. As a matter of fact, we should be clearing out of Turkey so we don’t lose people and equipment when the finally declare their real intentions.
Raqqa,, Ground Zero..
We need all available AC130s and Predators followed by B52s to visit there soon.
I get it that we're arming the Kurds, but I'd rather the weapons be under the control of US personnel. What happens if Turkey and the Kurds get it on over their border? Turkey's in NATO, so it could get weird.
Is it certain Turkey is supporting ISIS?
Wounded ISIS leaders are recuperating in Turkish hospitals. ISIS has hit all the Muslim holly sites except the ones holly to Turks. It would be impossible for ISIS to get the weapons and logistics it has without support or at least a blind eye from Turkey.
I suspect Turkey thinks they’re controlling ISIS. But ISIS is like Frankenstein’s monster, except not as charming and innocent.
Now people are actually talking about halting “IS”. About time. Sooner or later this country and other civilized countries will have to get together and wipe out the threat from the screaming bearded savages.
And to the general, I say “So?”
Mygosh, if that's the case it's almost inevitable the Kurds in Iraq will end up in Turkey supporting the Kurds there. So what would happen then? Turkey would be fighting with ISIS, against the Kurds in Iraq, Turkey and Syria? The US would have obligations to Turkey and to the Kurds.
That would get too weird.
RE: And to the general, I say “So?”
I think what the General is trying to imply (to Obama) is this — “You want so badly to bring the troops home and not be involved in any war. Well guess what? YOU CAN’T. You either stop it while it’s there and nip it in the bud, or you allow them to conquer more territory, grow more powerful and eventually acquire the means to attack us.”
And oh yeah, this is something that guys like the Paul’s ( Ron and Rand ) and Pat Buchanan should also ponder.
“You might not be interested in war, but war is interested in you” (Leon Trotsky)
You’re probably correct. But Bammy’s not willing to do that. He’ll just draw it out for two more years ... like Clinton did with Al Qaeda.
Dempsey and his fellow war mongers like McLame falsely accused Assad of launching the attack and therefore we had to go to war.
When the dust settled it turned out that Assad never did this, but the Free Syrian Army/Al-Qaeda/ISIS/ISIL launched the attack when they were on the run from the Syrian Army.
The war in Syria has NOTHING TO DO with FREEDOM. It's about that pipeline that Saudi Arabia wants.
So the real question is...
Do you want American troops to die for a Saudi Pipeline?
Let’s send General McCain over there. They’re his friends.
Turkey is ruled by islamists and should not be in NATO. I guess they are needed geographically.
RE: but the Free Syrian Army/Al-Qaeda/ISIS/ISIL launched the attack when they were on the run from the Syrian Army
Hold it.... I’m trying to understand what you’re trying to say -— are you saying that it was ISIS/ISIL/Al-Qaeda who have Chemical Weapons and USED IT?
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