It's time to step back

On the eve of the thirteenth anniversary of September 11, President Obama addressed the nation and committed the United States to war in Iraq again. In the tradition of Clinton and Bush, Obama is wagging the dog as the U.S. economy sputters. There is no defined goal except for vague promises to “degrade and destroy ISIS.” There is no limit, except to assert that there will be no “U.S. boots on the ground.” But limiting our involvement to air strikes won’t be enough, and Obama’s plan to cobble together a new “Coalition of the [un]Willing” is already falling apart. There is no talk of a UN mandate as that would involve Russia. Nobel Peace Prize winner Obama is getting his wish to bomb Syria through the back door. The Terrorism Industrial Congressional Complex keeps raking in our tax dollars.

Thirteen years of a fruitless War on Terror has only resulted in more and deadlier terrorism. ISIS is the most evil example of terrorism we have seen so far, committing numerous atrocities against Christians and other religious and tribal minorities. Crucifixions, beheadings, mass executions, rape, kidnapping and extortion are terrible no matter who perpetrates them. That includes our ally, Saudi Arabia, which regularly beheads and mutilates Sharia lawbreakers. The beheading of two Americans, who bravely assumed the risk of war journalism, is despicably evil. But the idea that ISIS will be beheading the mayor of Phoenix next is absurd. Don’t the ranks of ISIS grow in direct proportion to U.S. attacks?

Libertarians in Congress are against the escalation, and demand a Congressional vote before Obama acts. But the Emperor of the Fairways and Sand Traps believes he doesn’t need Congress. Congress will likely slink away, afraid of a vote before the election. Once again the Republic dies while Democracy reveals its Janus face.

A true Constitutional Conservative understands that force is to be used only in the most extreme circumstances. Those who claim otherwise ignore our founders’ warning not to “go abroad in search of monsters to destroy”. Long involvements in war lead to factionalism and repression at home. Neoconservative war hawks and neoliberal “humanitarian” interventionists pump up the dangers we face in the world while downplaying the financial and personal costs that will be borne by the young people in the military and all U.S. citizens. No, Senator Cruz, the world is not aflame with war. Most of the world is at peace, and real progress is being made through economic development rather than state ideologies. It seems the only places where there is conflict are those where the U.S. is militarily involved. Libya, as Rand Paul said, is a “jihadist wonderland.” Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia have all been invaded and droned with no tangible results except dead innocents and more terrorists.

The sad truth is that America has not “won” a war since World War II, and even that was a pyrrhic victory, as we lost China, Eastern Europe and later North Korea to Communism. We did not win in Korea, we did not win in Vietnam, and we did not win anything worth winning in any major military adventure since. Despite our gargantuan war budget we are ill-equipped to fight foreign wars against insurgents and tribal terrorists. The irony is we were the insurgents in 1776 when we used irregular guerrilla tactics against the British. Now, sadly, we are the British. It is time to stop being the world’s policeman and allow people around the world to work out their problems without Big Brother’s “help.” It is time to let go and put America first.