WE’RE STEPPING UP TO THE PLATE…
(…kinda….)
The President finally came forward with some kind decision about how to deal with ISIS/ISIL. He laid it all out in yesterday’s address to the nation.
Not quite clear on how “strategic” his solution is. It sounded more like a tactical plan of attack, but then, we’re here on the sidelines, so what the hell do we know. Still, it’s nice to know we Americans are stepping up to the plate again…kinda… but that we won’t be putting any of our boots on the ground beyond that… or as one cartoonist so perfectly summed it up for us…we’re going back into Iraq…but not with boots…BALLET SLIPPERS!
While the President’s call to arms on this issue had the proper tone, it didn’t really go into any specifics we don’t know about already, but why quibble. The important thing is we’re taking action to go after those bastards. Granted, it sounds like a limp-biscuit approach, but at least it’s better than continuing with the non-action we’ve followed for the past three years in Syria (along with everyone else, we might add, including all those fat-cats in the neighborhood besides).
Well, cynics among us might thus be forgiven if they think the only reason we’re doing this at this time…is because the upcoming midterm election doesn’t look so good for his party, what with the anemic performance of the economy, etc.. So, a bit of John Wayne posturing might help boost those poll ratings, just in time for that election.
The only major complaint we might have about the President’s presentation concerning ISIS/ISIL is that he didn’t call it what it really is, which is…an international criminal organization…not just a “terrorist” one. Had he done so, he could have also used the occasion to put a price on all their heads. Literally, just their heads, because we sure as hell don’t want any of them delivered alive to us. That would only clutter up our judicial system even worse than it is already, giving them a chance to possibly avoid the retribution they deserve. In short, we should announce…you get one million bucks for each head you deliver…only a thousand for any of their carcasses…and zilch if you bring any one of them in…alive.
We would have further preferred it if he had invoked Section 8 of Article I of our constitution, offering a modern version of Letters of Marque and Reprisal (privateers), to allow willing and able individuals to form their own ventures to track and hunt down anyone involved with ISIS, to seize whichever ones they can find for those bounties, and, to retain whatever assets might belong to them as proper compensation for such service.
In past times, privateers were a very effective strategy to be used against one’s enemies. Given our modern technologies, there’s no reason to think it couldn’t be just as effective today. Besides, that would keep all those ISIS dingoes so busy constantly looking over their shoulders, never knowing who, or what, might be after them, or how and when they might be hit, they wouldn’t have time to keep on raising the hell they’re doing right now.
In my book, that’s how we spell…strategy.
CENTURION