I hope there is more to the story of the Yazidis on the mountain. The Pentagon has announced that a rescue operation for the Yazidis is much less likely. The special ops forces who visited the mountain found many fewer Yazidis there than expected and also found that the Yazidis were in better condition than had been reported.
Let's stop here. According to the reports there were still over 30,000 people stranded on the mountain. America and many European countries were going to mount some sort of rescue. Now there turn out to be fewer people in peril. It could be only 3000. ONLY 3000 according to the Pentagon. ONLY? If we assume that it is actually 4000 or 5000 people or even 2000, why would that lessen the impetus for a rescue? Wouldn't that just make it easier? If helicopters could remove these people in groups of 25, then there could be just 120 flights to get 3000 off the mountain instead of 1200 flights as previously thought. Why would it be that an easier task to bring thousands of people to safety is now less likely?
And if these people are in better condition than previously thought, why does that mean a rescue is less likely. Are we to be happy because it will be a few more days before the folks on the mountain starve or die of thirst? What kind of twisted logic is that?
I truly hope that there is something we are not being told. If the choice is between (1) our government telling less than the whole story while people are being saved or (2) America walking away from a rescue effort because only 3000 people would die as a result, I am rooting for non-disclosure. We all know that President Obama will do almost anything to avoid involving American military forces in Iraq. But he already took the plunge; must we watch people die so that Obama can save his political position? I hope not.
Let's stop here. According to the reports there were still over 30,000 people stranded on the mountain. America and many European countries were going to mount some sort of rescue. Now there turn out to be fewer people in peril. It could be only 3000. ONLY 3000 according to the Pentagon. ONLY? If we assume that it is actually 4000 or 5000 people or even 2000, why would that lessen the impetus for a rescue? Wouldn't that just make it easier? If helicopters could remove these people in groups of 25, then there could be just 120 flights to get 3000 off the mountain instead of 1200 flights as previously thought. Why would it be that an easier task to bring thousands of people to safety is now less likely?
And if these people are in better condition than previously thought, why does that mean a rescue is less likely. Are we to be happy because it will be a few more days before the folks on the mountain starve or die of thirst? What kind of twisted logic is that?
I truly hope that there is something we are not being told. If the choice is between (1) our government telling less than the whole story while people are being saved or (2) America walking away from a rescue effort because only 3000 people would die as a result, I am rooting for non-disclosure. We all know that President Obama will do almost anything to avoid involving American military forces in Iraq. But he already took the plunge; must we watch people die so that Obama can save his political position? I hope not.
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