Tomorrow, president Obama is going to make yet another speech about the Middle East, terrorism and ISIS. I assume most of what he will say is what he has said previously. Here's what he should say in my opinion.
1. America has a vital interest in the Middle East.
a. An enormous chunk of the world's energy supplies come from this area. Even though the USA is now moving away from reliance on oil from this region, the free flow of oil is still required for the world economy to function, and it is clearly in our interest to see that happen.
b. Right now, it would be a major problem to have a failed state that would provide a home and support for terrorists who target the USA and our allies. If nothing is done, it seems very likely that Libya and parts of Iraq and Syria will fall into that category. America cannot stand by and allow terrorist groups to establish bases and training facilities in this region from which attacks can be organized on our cities and people.
c. America has friends in the region and supporting our friends is always in the national interests of the USA. Clearly, countries like Jordan, Israel, Egypt, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia are among those friends who we need to support. Turkey is a NATO ally who we are obligated by treaty to support. America must demonstrate that we are a reliable friend.
d. There are stirring across the Middle East all manner of misguided ideologues who use religion as a justification for mass murder and mayhem. America cannot allow this sort of thuggish behavior to grow into a mass movement affecting large areas. We learned decades ago that hateful ideologies like fascism and communism have the capabilities to pervert peoples and nations into carrying out the most terrible deeds. Those who stand for a decent and moral world must take a stand against the philosophies of hate. America must, as before, do so.
2. America needs to take action in concert with others.
a. The entire civilized world shares most of the interests of the USA in the Middle East. No country can ignore this problem of Islamic terrorism without placing itself in peril.
b. On behalf of the United States, I call upon every nation to join in an effort to rid the world of this perverted ideology of terrorism. It should be an absolute certainty that no nation, religion or other group should use attacks on innocent civilians as a means to any end. We need to end the teaching of hatred and replace it with tolerance for all. And we must begin this effort by destroying those who currently are spreading terror, death and destruction across the Middle East in the name of God.
c. America will participate fully in this effort. Indeed, we believe that there is no other viable choice. A united world can end the influence of ISIS and al Qaeda and those who support them in a few years. If this is not done now, the cancer of these groups will spread and infect the entire world.
d. America now calls upon the others in the region and across the globe to contribute to this effort. We will send our forces, but we call upon others to do the same. It is not enough to sit on the sidelines and cheer or even to contribute money but take no part in the actual effort.
3. The world coalition must join with those who fight the terrorists on the ground now. In Iraq, we must support the Kurdish peshmerga and the forces of the government of Iraq. We must encourage the Sunnis in the areas now controlled by ISIS to turn against these thugs who pervert Islam into a cult of death rather than a religion of life. In Syria, we must support those who fight against ISIS as well. That does not, however, include the forces of Assad who have themselves slaughtered hundreds of thousands of innocents. Once Syria is cleared of the scourge of ISIS, it cannot simply go back to being ruled by thugs like Assad in Damascus. And in all this we cannot allow the forces of Iran to participate in this effort until the Iranians make clear that they are no longer supporters of terrorism, clarity which will come by Iran's meaningfully . renouncing the development of nuclear weapons.
4. This will not be an easy effort, but it is one that we must undertake. We have no choice. Accordingly, I am today asking Congress for a declaration of war against ISIS and al Qaeda and all Islamic terrorists. I am also authorizing the use of American air power against targets in Iraq and Syria which are controlled by the terrorists.
1. America has a vital interest in the Middle East.
a. An enormous chunk of the world's energy supplies come from this area. Even though the USA is now moving away from reliance on oil from this region, the free flow of oil is still required for the world economy to function, and it is clearly in our interest to see that happen.
b. Right now, it would be a major problem to have a failed state that would provide a home and support for terrorists who target the USA and our allies. If nothing is done, it seems very likely that Libya and parts of Iraq and Syria will fall into that category. America cannot stand by and allow terrorist groups to establish bases and training facilities in this region from which attacks can be organized on our cities and people.
c. America has friends in the region and supporting our friends is always in the national interests of the USA. Clearly, countries like Jordan, Israel, Egypt, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia are among those friends who we need to support. Turkey is a NATO ally who we are obligated by treaty to support. America must demonstrate that we are a reliable friend.
d. There are stirring across the Middle East all manner of misguided ideologues who use religion as a justification for mass murder and mayhem. America cannot allow this sort of thuggish behavior to grow into a mass movement affecting large areas. We learned decades ago that hateful ideologies like fascism and communism have the capabilities to pervert peoples and nations into carrying out the most terrible deeds. Those who stand for a decent and moral world must take a stand against the philosophies of hate. America must, as before, do so.
2. America needs to take action in concert with others.
a. The entire civilized world shares most of the interests of the USA in the Middle East. No country can ignore this problem of Islamic terrorism without placing itself in peril.
b. On behalf of the United States, I call upon every nation to join in an effort to rid the world of this perverted ideology of terrorism. It should be an absolute certainty that no nation, religion or other group should use attacks on innocent civilians as a means to any end. We need to end the teaching of hatred and replace it with tolerance for all. And we must begin this effort by destroying those who currently are spreading terror, death and destruction across the Middle East in the name of God.
c. America will participate fully in this effort. Indeed, we believe that there is no other viable choice. A united world can end the influence of ISIS and al Qaeda and those who support them in a few years. If this is not done now, the cancer of these groups will spread and infect the entire world.
d. America now calls upon the others in the region and across the globe to contribute to this effort. We will send our forces, but we call upon others to do the same. It is not enough to sit on the sidelines and cheer or even to contribute money but take no part in the actual effort.
3. The world coalition must join with those who fight the terrorists on the ground now. In Iraq, we must support the Kurdish peshmerga and the forces of the government of Iraq. We must encourage the Sunnis in the areas now controlled by ISIS to turn against these thugs who pervert Islam into a cult of death rather than a religion of life. In Syria, we must support those who fight against ISIS as well. That does not, however, include the forces of Assad who have themselves slaughtered hundreds of thousands of innocents. Once Syria is cleared of the scourge of ISIS, it cannot simply go back to being ruled by thugs like Assad in Damascus. And in all this we cannot allow the forces of Iran to participate in this effort until the Iranians make clear that they are no longer supporters of terrorism, clarity which will come by Iran's meaningfully . renouncing the development of nuclear weapons.
4. This will not be an easy effort, but it is one that we must undertake. We have no choice. Accordingly, I am today asking Congress for a declaration of war against ISIS and al Qaeda and all Islamic terrorists. I am also authorizing the use of American air power against targets in Iraq and Syria which are controlled by the terrorists.
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