Am I the only one bothered by the US Marine deployment to Syria?

Sgt William Biggs — Thu, 09 Mar 2017 18:50:30 -0500

It just drives me crazy. One of my prior units is involved and it drives me crazy

Response by SFC George Smith made Mar 9 at 2017 6:53 PM

SFC George Smith — Thu, 09 Mar 2017 18:53:25 -0500

Yes... I means an escalation in the efforts and too Much possibilities for Fratricide and collateral Damage...
Time to Take all the Male Migrants to Be sent back and fight for their Own country ...

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 9 at 2017 6:55 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 09 Mar 2017 18:55:39 -0500

No, I'm bothered to see us fighting alongside Hezbollah, Assad, the Iranians and the Russians as well.

Response by SSgt Dan Montague made Mar 9 at 2017 7:20 PM

SSgt Dan Montague — Thu, 09 Mar 2017 19:20:17 -0500

Drives me nuts when I read about my old batteries in action. I'm a G btry 2/11 allum. I take it you are A btry?

Response by SSgt Gary Andrews made Mar 9 at 2017 7:34 PM

SSgt Gary Andrews — Thu, 09 Mar 2017 19:34:27 -0500

I'm concerned about it being a step into another quagmire......

Response by COL Charles Williams made Mar 9 at 2017 7:44 PM

COL Charles Williams — Thu, 09 Mar 2017 19:44:00 -0500

Sgt William Biggs I suspect, you are not the only one worried or bothered... Mission creep is always out there. Before 911 I would have bet we would never had troops on the ground in the middle east, nor would I have ever through we would have troops operating in and out of former Soviet Republics. It is none of my business, but I hope we have finally established a desired end state.

Response by Cpl Joshua Caldwell made Mar 9 at 2017 8:28 PM

Cpl Joshua Caldwell — Thu, 09 Mar 2017 20:28:15 -0500

It is far from an ideal situation but we need to stomp isis out of existence. We can either kill them in syria (as opposed to arming them under the last admin) or we can allow them safe harbor across the boarder where they can rebuild and attack us later. I trust Mattis, and with him running the DOD we will be doing everything we can to actually win and come home. Assad is a bad dude but he is much better that the forces fighting against him.

Response by LtCol Robert Quinter made Mar 9 at 2017 10:04 PM

LtCol Robert Quinter — Thu, 09 Mar 2017 22:04:58 -0500

Sorry, I don't understand. National Command Authorities determined we should commit military to a mission. Military is paid to execute such orders and missions as assigned. To be concerned about your friends is natural, but to execute the mission as determined by the NCA is why you wear the uniform.

Response by SPC Erich Guenther made Mar 9 at 2017 11:06 PM

SPC Erich Guenther — Thu, 09 Mar 2017 23:06:42 -0500

I think with the team we have in place now, this time they will be fighting the war to win vs fighting the war to contain it. There is a big difference in approach and length of engagement, in my view.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 9 at 2017 11:24 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 09 Mar 2017 23:24:43 -0500

I'm not surprised. The Obama administration didnt want to go into Syria because we'd get bogged down. So we're dealing with ISIS on three fronts [Afghanistan, Iraq & Syria] and what's to say you run into an international incident with the Russians? Not saying that's going to happen, but you have to plan and prepare for everything right?

Response by SMSgt Roger Horton made Mar 10 at 2017 5:34 AM

SMSgt Roger Horton — Fri, 10 Mar 2017 05:34:54 -0500

I'm bothered by every deployment whether it is to a war or to assist another country with a peaceful mission.

Response by Cpl Jeff N. made Mar 10 at 2017 6:17 AM

Cpl Jeff N. — Fri, 10 Mar 2017 06:17:21 -0500

It will be hard to defeat an enemy like ISIS with soaring rhetoric and spoken threats. It will require us to use a number of weapons including the kind that deal death to the enemy up close and personal.

While I would prefer we not have enemies to deal with like ISIS I would be far more concerned if we let the issue continue to fester as it has done the last 8 years or so. I would be bothered far more by doing nothing than taking action.

We have a Sec Def that is as solid as they come. Do you not trust him? How could you have a more solid advocate for the right strategy and tactics than General Mattis? I am not saying he is infallible but can you point to a Sec Def that is more knowledgeable and trustworthy with Marine's lives than him?

I have a son in the Marine Corps and certainly would not want him to go over again but the reality is he may have to. While I would certainly be concerned for he well being, that is what Marines do. My wife would be far less pragmatic than that.

Response by CMSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 10 at 2017 5:19 PM

CMSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 10 Mar 2017 17:19:22 -0500

Pres. Trump is simply following though on one of his campaign promises. We'll have to see how it plays out. My concern is what happens after ISIS is defeated. The Middle East is a quagmire of instability and defeating ISIS will not deter Iran.

Response by GySgt Michael Chapman made Mar 14 at 2017 1:11 PM

GySgt Michael Chapman — Tue, 14 Mar 2017 13:11:12 -0400

What about their deployment bothers you? Is it concern for their safety, or do you feel they should not be there?
If it's the latter, well, we all know the answer to that. We suck it up and follow lawful orders, plain and simple.
If it's the former, then I fully understand your position. I have friends deploying to Afghanistan still; I am always concerned for their safety.