Thoughts on air strikes in Iraq?

SCPO David Lockwood — Mon, 11 Aug 2014 08:26:30 -0400

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 11 at 2014 1:44 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 11 Aug 2014 13:44:54 -0400

Response by Sgt Mark Ramos made Aug 11 at 2014 3:17 PM

Sgt Mark Ramos — Mon, 11 Aug 2014 15:17:12 -0400

We left in an irresponsible manner. Gains from all that blood, sweat, and treasure lost. For what? Iraq is quickly becoming worse than pre-9/11 Afghanistan. ISIS has been operating with impunity and growing in strength, reach, and viciousness. Before 2001 we, the USA, thought that we could deal with Islamic terrorists with limited air strikes and rare special ops. We had occasional terrorist strikes against us, but the public was tolerant with the status quo. That changed on 9/11/2001. We agreed as a country to deal with the problem in a very direct manner. But, after more than a decade of war weariness, a slick sales campaign by a naive and inexperienced political force, and security at home, we once again believe that we can either ignore or do little about the problem.
The problem won't go away on its own. It will grow and come back worse than before. The airstrikes are a good early indication that the civilian leadership is waking up to reality.

Response by CSM Chris McKeown made Aug 11 at 2014 9:45 PM

CSM Chris McKeown — Mon, 11 Aug 2014 21:45:36 -0400

This is my stance, if they would have let us finish the job properly during Desert Storm and we would have fulfilled what we had promised back then to the Iraqi People we wouldn't have had any of this crap going on now.

With that being said and not being able to change that, I say yes, bomb the hell out of ISIS and send their asses back to the stone age. To be honest as brutal as the ISIS group is I hope we put troops on the ground and take off all the PC restraints and show them exactly how ruthless and determined the US Military can be when it sees a genocide of groups of people.

Response by LTC Paul Labrador made Aug 11 at 2014 10:28 PM

LTC Paul Labrador — Mon, 11 Aug 2014 22:28:15 -0400

I remember a line from "A Few Good Men." Although it had a anti-military/anti-authority spin to it, it had a few shining moments. One was after the verdict was read and the 2 Marines were left to contemplate where they went wrong. And it came down to this: "We are supposed to fight for those who can't fight for themselves. We were supposed to fight for Willie...." THAT is one of the core reasons why I wear this uniform: to help those who can't help themselves. To fight for those who can't fight for themselves. See the picture below, taken from a daring helicopter resupply/impromptu rescue of trapped Iraqis near Ibril. These people are helpless and it burns my craw that we won't help them.....Look at that terrified, crying little girl. THAT is why we should fight.

Response by SSG Jason Deters made Aug 12 at 2014 11:31 PM

SSG Jason Deters — Tue, 12 Aug 2014 23:31:42 -0400

Airstrikes in Iraq are as effective today as they were between 2003 and 2012. If airstrikes were a wholly effective strategy in and of themselves, there would never have been a need for boots on the ground ... we would have just smart-bombed the insurgents from 20,000 feet or from the comfort of a Fleet Group in the Gulf.
AIRSTRIKES ARE A HALF-MEASURE. Air strikes are a means to an end.... just not the end that the Iraqi people are screaming for.
Airstrikes allow our political leaders to appear strong and emboldened against ISIS without the backlash of sending men and women back into the fray. Airstrikes are a politically safe move but I don't think they will be effective in the long-term.
Just my 2 cents

Response by SFC William Swartz Jr made Aug 13 at 2014 7:10 AM

SFC William Swartz Jr — Wed, 13 Aug 2014 07:10:47 -0400

Should have been doing this from Day 1 when the assclowns took Mosul...damn sure should be doing more to assist the Kurds...

Response by CPO Jim Turner made Aug 13 at 2014 1:53 PM

CPO Jim Turner — Wed, 13 Aug 2014 13:53:00 -0400

We, the US, have a history of going in with good intentions, but leave without the job being complete, look at Afghanistan and Vietnam as examples. Instead of leaving these people to live in this power vacuum, we owe it to then to protect them.

Response by TSgt Terry Hudson made Aug 13 at 2014 5:31 PM

TSgt Terry Hudson — Wed, 13 Aug 2014 17:31:44 -0400

I don't like it! Honestly the military has been fighting for to long. We need a break. Whats going on in Iraq is none of our buisness. I'm tired of seeing my brothers and sisters dying for nothing. Those countries fighting over there have been fighting for YEARS! Since the biblical days. We have our own issues to worry about. How can you fix someone else's house when your own house isn't in order?

Response by LT Brian Langenberg made Aug 18 at 2014 3:48 PM

LT Brian Langenberg — Mon, 18 Aug 2014 15:48:01 -0400

1. Anybody who would decapitate women and children needs dying.
2. We have great intentions but also, as a nation, ADHD.
3. We have the means, the moral right, and one would argue obligation to stomp out ISIS. They are not Muslims, they are animals.