With the rise of the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), a Sunni jihadist group in the Middle East that is labeled as a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. and many other nations, the entire world is on high alert, waiting for whatever barbaric action the group has planned next.
Amid all the chaos, the world is looking to President Barack Obama for leadership on this important issue. Unfortunately, the president’s position continues to be that ISIS is a “manageable problem.”
ISIS has engaged in a number of horrific and brutal acts in recent weeks, including the beheading of two American journalists in less than one month. An eyewitness report from massacre survivor Ali Hussein Kadhim indicated that ISIS killed approximately 1,700 Shiite soldiers in one day.
ISIS has shown it is an enormous threat to American national security. What we need right now is a dialogue on how America is going to respond to these atrocious acts, but still we continue to hear a lackluster approach from Obama.
Immediately after ISIS released the video showing the beheading of American photojournalist James Foley, British prime minister David Cameron cut his vacation short to address Foley’s horrendous death and the potential threat toward the UK.
Philip Hammond, Britain’s foreign secretary, stated that “if ISIS becomes established in Iraq and Syria it will undoubtedly use it as a base for launching attacks on the West.”
And what did our president do? He paused his golf game to give an insincere speech about the death of James Foley. Within minutes of his speech’s conclusion, he was back out on the golf course for another round.
Giving the impression that you care more about your handicap than the murder of an American citizen at the hands of foreign terrorists is not acceptable. We need to hold Obama accountable and demand that he do something about what is happening.
Although the Obama administration has moved outrageously slow toward formulating a plan to combat ISIS, there have been some minor accomplishments. Obama stated in a speech Wednesday in Estonia that it’s important that “we know that this is a mission that’s going to work” and that “we have allies behind us.”
It seems logical that we not overreact to the beheading videos from ISIS, as its purpose is to make us respond without thinking rationally.
The last time we went into the Middle East without a definite plan, or even a goal, it took a decade for us to even begin discussing the withdrawal of troops. I agree with Obama about the importance of forming coalitions with interested allies.
With strong multilateral support, the U.S. can be confident that we aren’t the only ones with skin in the game if sending in troops does become a possibility.
Although it is important to act cautiously and rationally, we cannot wait much longer. If no one is willing to back up the U.S., we must face ISIS before attacks begin on our own soil. As of Aug. 19, the Islamic State has an army of more than 50,000 fighters, and that number is unquestionably growing every day.
A good piece of legislation that could help slow ISIS’s progress will be introduced this week by Sen. Bill Nelson. The bill would grant the president clear authority to engage in airstrikes in Syria, where ISIS’s base of operations is believed to be located.
The airstrikes that have been happening in Iraq for the past month have definitely slowed the growth of ISIS, but they are not enough to completely eliminate the group.
It’s time for Obama to step up to the plate and address the ongoing crisis as the commander in chief. Bob Baer, a former CIA operative, sent a warning last week that “ISIS is here (in America),” and it is “capable of striking” with sleeper cells that are already established in the homeland.
What Obama deems a “manageable problem” is actually far worse. ISIS is more than just a group of “JV” terrorists, as the president called them. ISIS represents a clear and present risk to America, and it must be dealt with before any more innocent Americans die.
The only way to eliminate ISIS is to obliterate its military and monetary resources and kill its members. Until that happens, ISIS will continue to present a significant threat to the U.S.
Nick Eagle is a UF economics and political science senior. His columns appear on Mondays.
[A version of this story ran on page 7 on 9/8/2014 under the headline "Chaotic world stuck with ‘no strategy’ President Obama"]
