Friday, August 8, 2014

Airstrikes in Iraq

        Obama has authorized airstrikes against Islamic Militants to protect Americans and help the Kurds.  I am not surprised that the extreme Sunnis were back at it again fighting with Shiites and the Kurds.  The militant Sunnis have a problem with being put out of power even though they were the minority religious group and they have always had a problem with Christians and the Kurds.  Although Saddam Hussein did protect the Christians from harm (most of them), but he still had a lot of fun targeting Shiites and the Kurds.
    I understand that a majority of Americans wanted us to withdraw out of Iraq and it happened in 2011. However, there was a belief that Iraq could become the new Vietnam.  American troops left Vietnam in 1973 because it was not favorable for the people.  After we leave North Vietnam attacks South Vietnam,  South Vietnam is forced to surrender, uniting the country again except under Communism.
     Iraq is not a country divided like Vietnam.  No it is much worse where extremists will stop at nothing to push their beliefs onto others until they have control.  This would not have happened if Americans had stayed a little longer and had diplomats working with the different factions and groups in Iraq to have a working relationship.  However, we were not given enough time because Obama was facing re-election and he wanted to look good for the people so he had the troops leave.  I understand that the Iraqis wanted us to leave but the original agreement was actually for 2014 for full withdrawal, but he wanted to look good for the election.

Jaish al-Adl fighters in Iranian Balochistan. Photo: fardanews.com Image by Rudaw  http://rudaw.net/english/middleeast/iran/25032014
 
     All in all, we should not have left so abruptly.  Furthermore, if Americans had been paying attention you would have seen that the Sunni Extremists were building in power. They had took over the government of some cities and forced the people in those cities to follow extremists laws when it comes to morality and strict Islamic code.  The extremists slowly started gaining, however after full troop withdrawal in 2011 they were able to gain massive power and weapons for exactly what they are doing right now.  
     Americans and Europe blamed former President Jalal Talabani and current Prime Minister Nour al-Maliki for the reason the extremists are attacking the people because they say he did not work hard enough to establish peace with the Sunnis. However, the extremists do not speak for a majority of the Sunnis.  Yes he is to blame for some of the problem, but so is the United States and the United Nations.
   
In conclusion, everyone is to blame President Obama, former President Talabani, Prime Minister Nour al-Maliki, and United Nations because they did not do more to eliminate the extremists.  The extremists do not speak for the majority of the Sunnis. The extremists want power to force people to submit to their belief system.  Now the solution is to eliminate the leaders of ISIS because there is no way that peace is going to work at this point.  Point in case: extremists from any group that are attacking innocent people should be killed and shown no mercy.