Below is the text of President Obama's speech today before the UN. He addresses Ukraine, ISIS and the Middle East.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/09/24/remarks-president-obama-address-united-nations-general-assembly
"It is one of the tasks of all great religions to accommodate devout faith with a modern, multicultural world. No children are born hating, and no children -- anywhere -- should be educated to hate other people. There should be no more tolerance of so-called clerics who call upon people to harm innocents because they’re Jewish, or because they're Christian, or because they're Muslim. It is time for a new compact among the civilized peoples of this world to eradicate war at its most fundamental source, and that is the corruption of young minds by violent ideology."
Comment: There are a few things in this speech that I could nit-pick, but I think there are more points that are important and positive. His points on ISIS were strong and needed to be said. Of course, there is a long way to go in this struggle, and he will be judged by the success or failure of his efforts to destroy ISIS. I agree with most experts who say that air strikes won't be enough. Sooner or later, it will take ground forces backed by air power to accomplish it. Ideally, that ground war should be fought by Arabs, who also have a huge stake in defeating ISIS.
As critical as I am of President Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry, getting 5 Arab nations to participate in attacking ISIS is an accomplishment that must be noted. Ultimate success will require wisdom, competency and good diplomacy. This is a time when Americans, no matter what we think of President Obama, must wish him success.
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Although I tire of the left's lionization, even deification, of Obama for getting bin Laden and for finally attacking ISIS/ISIL, (those actions are, or at least should be, a slam-dunk decision to be expected from any half-reasonably competent CIC in my dim/feeble memory with the possible exception of maybe Jimmy Carter), I agree with Gary on at least two counts.
First, I do believe this is the strongest condemnation of terrorism in general, and Islamic terrorism (yes, ISIS members are radical Islamists, they even call themselves the Islamic State, no??) in particular, that I have heard Obama give.
Second, I also believe it is a pretty significant achievement to have been able to get several Arab/Muslim states to take part in actual combat operations against other Muslims, however slight their involvement.
We shall see where this takes us. Looks/sounds like both France and England want in on the Syrian act, and I would think we might/should be able to bring Turkey around to fulfill its longstanding agreements and responsibilities as a NATO member.
As to ground troops, I seem to remember (but I am prepared to be corrected) that while NATO, to include the U.S., furnished air support in Bosnia, Kosovo, etc., Clinton was, to his credit, able to keep us out of it in that regard. It would be noteworthy, and quite a feat, for Obama, et al, to be able to get other countries in the region to furnish the ground troops while we and other nations, Arab and European alike, do the air thing. Might happen, might not.
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