Many in this community, including its namesake, are now opposing military action against ISIS, or ISIL, or whatever they seek to call themselves. I do share in their concerns: 1) our so-called allies in the Middle East appear to be doing nothing concerning this obvious threat. 2) We spend billions of dollars in the region while shorting funding to basic services at home. 3) We are likely never going to win hearts and minds in the Middle East.
Yet, I still feel uncomfortable with such a conclusion. Perhaps it is the years of lectures I chose to succumb to as a student of history. Perhaps it is my atheism, which encourages me to automatically ally myself with repressed religious minorities. Or perhaps it is my fear that many Islamic fundamentalists have accepted a nihilistic-centered ideology which discourages communication, moderation, or even coexistence in any region they possess.
When kos members can go to Mosul freely then kos members can pretend that Islamic Fundamentalism is not a problem. I imagine that I, as an atheist, would be hanging by a nearby bridge with words describing me as a blasphemer adhered to my chest. I cannot accept, and will not accept religious intolerance. To tell someone that they convert or die in the 21st Century is unacceptable.
But let us talk about the region:
Turkey is afraid to openly interfere lest their secular army inflames Islamic sensibility or empowers the Kurds.
Saudi Arabia is afraid to openly interfere lest their secular army inflames Islamic sensibility or empowers the Shi'ites.
Most of Europe is afraid to openly interfere lest their position might inflame minority sensibility living in their countries.
The US pretends to be Christian warriors, more than willing to offend but less than willing to spend.
Iran -- well, they are willing. They will be our proxy if we ask, though there will of course be a price to pay. Their own Shi'ite fundamentalism will be off the table, thus pissing off ever cautious Saudi Arabia.
So,
Do we tell the evildoers to go do that voodoo that they do so well? Do we throw up our hands and wait? Do we extort? Do we side with Iran?
To do nothing is still a choice -- and it has consequences.
My vote is, and has been, that we bomb the ISIS assets that they stole from the Iraqi army. We should also attack any ISIS threats to minority populations.
I am not willing to stand down while minority populations are slaughtered. That was the language of early WW2 and all too much of the 20th Century.
How many millions were killed while we stood down?
America is a lazy country.