Obama, Speak Plainly: This is War!

President Obama, Wednesday night, provided further details on his plans to meet the challenge of ISIS, relying on a broad coalition of partners to degrade and destroy the Islamic State. He said he would rely on US airstrikes, not combat troops, and would work with other nations to cut off ISIS funding. He warned there would be no safe haven for any organization that threatened America, implying that military operations in Iraq could spread to Syria and perhaps to neighboring countries, including Turkey and Jordan. What President Obama did not acknowledge is that what began several months ago as ‘targeted’ airstrikes ‘limited in scope’ had developed into a commitment that could last several years, stretching into the next administration. There is no reason to believe that an effective operation against ISIS can be restricted to airstrikes. US troops are already on the ground and he will add ‘an additional 475 service members to Iraq.’ It does not matter whether we call them ‘boots on the ground.’ US military efforts will combine air and ground forces. The objective, Obama said, is to attract a broad coalition, including Arab nations. Thus far, there have been some commitments from allies to provide humanitarian aid and military equipment but not military forces. If this turns into an essentially US effort, jihadists can claim that the battle is essentially the United States against Islam, even if many Moslems find ISIS thoroughly repugnant. By providing the leadership he has, Obama risks taking ownership of another war that has no clear end, breadth, or cost.

This post was published at Ron Paul Institute on September 12, 2014.