Reaction to President Obama's ISIS Address

On September 10^th President Obama addressed the citizens of America announcing his strategy for ISIL also known as ISIS the Islamic State or Iraq and Syria. In his speech the President addressed his strategy for dealing with this rebellious group in four parts.

First Obama plans on conducting a systematic campaign of airstrikes against the terrorist. He said that we will expand our efforts so we are not just saving humanitarian missions and our own people, but that we will hit ISIL targets as Iraqi forces go on offense. Also with this strategy Obama he has made it clear that he will hunt down terrorists who threaten our country, and this means he will not hesitate to take action against ISIL in Syria as well as Iraq.

Secondly Obama plans on increasing the support forces on the ground. After deploying several hundred American service members to Iraq Obama is sending an additional 475, but they will not be in combat mission he adds.

In his third point Obama plans to continue to utilize the counterterrorism capabilities to prevent ISIL attacks. He is planning a meeting in the near future of the U. N. Security Council to further mobilize all countries around this effort. Obama plans on improving the country’s intelligence and strengthening the defenses by working with partners.

Finally Obama plans to provide assistance to innocent civilians who are being affected by this terrorist organization.

Republican U.S. Senator John Thune reacted to the President’s address by leading a group of 14 other Republican senators by sending a letter to State Department Secretary John Kerry. They are requesting more information and having the administration provide a plan for dealing with the large number of U.S. and visa waiver country passport holders that could be suspected of fighting alongside ISIS. Thune stated that the administration has expressed concern about these individuals but hasn’t provided a clear plan on how they will stop them from traveling to the U.S and potentially carrying out terrorist acts.

Democratic U.S. Senator Tim Johnson also released a press release following the President’s address. Johnson states that he supports the President’s strategy of using airstrikes and drones but he opposes putting U.S. combat fighters on foreign grounds.

According to the George Mason University History News Network America’s history with the Middle East grew after World War II due to oil. The Middle East was serving as a pipeline for French and British empires before the war however the U.S. came in and controlled over half of the oil by 1955. At this time Iraq was under King Faisal and they were a U.S ally. Later that year President Dwight Eisenhower sent 14,000 troops into Lebanon to restore order as he called it. The U.S. turned their support to separatist Kurdish rebels from Ba’athis Iraq in the 1970’s. In 1975 an agreement was reached to seal the Iraq and Turkey border. Saddam Hussein then killed thousands of Kurds. As Iraq and Iran fought for almost a decade the U.S. provided intelligence and advice to the Iraqis while Baghdad was using chemical weapons on the Iranians. While Saddam was killing thousands the U.S economic aid to Iraq increased which led to Iraq debt that was paid in oil exports. In 1991 the Bush administration prepped for a war known as Operation Desert Storm which destroyed Iraqi infrastructure and morale. Saddam had been contained and posed no threat until 9/11.

The United States has developed relations with Iraq that suit its purposes of supporting regimes, funding wars, and providing technology. Now it’s been over a decade since the September 11^th attacks, and as the History News Network puts it the U.S. offers no solution except more destruction and chaos.