The Washington Post Editorial Board.
The Obama administration has been unable to induce the Abadi government to deliver desperately needed arms deliveries to the Sunni tribes and Kurdish forces. Yet it simultaneously refuses to deliver materiel directly to those fighters, on the grounds this might undermine the Abadi government. Meanwhile, U.S. officials watch as Iran continues to provide massive direct support to Shiite militias, including forces the United States has designated as terrorist organizations.
Rather than blame Iraqi troops, Mr. Obama should bolster them with more U.S. advisers, including forward air controllers, and more air support. He should insist that Mr. Abadi open a weapons pipeline to Sunni and Kurdish units. Perhaps most important, Mr. Obama should make his priority eliminating the Islamic State — as opposed to limiting U.S. engagement in Iraq.
Because greater US military engagement in a Middle East meat grinder is always the bestest idea, evah. It’s always worked out so well in the past.
PS. Read the comments. They (most of them anyway) at least make some sense.
Yes, particularly this comment:
Flashback to Vietnam.
If we had a draft, most of these idiotic calls to war would be consigned to the trash. So easy to send other people’s loved ones into combat.
Disagree. The Darth Cheney’s and Rusty Limbaugh’s would still get deferred somehow.
Damn straight. Let’s not pretend that the draft is egalitarian.
They are not running from the battle. Which side should they fight for? Kill their neighbors for ISIS? Team up with Shia they have hated since the 6th century? Fight with the Americans? Americans some of who will still claim there were WMDs in Iraq. I don’t get what they are suppose to be fighting for?
The national government they swore allegiance to.