What SHOULD President Obama do about ISIL? What WILL President Obama do about ISIL?

President Barack Obama

American journalist Steven Sotloff

What SHOULD President Obama do?  What WILL President Obama do?  Those are the questions many Americans find themselves asking after the latest act of savagery broadcast to the world from the Middle East.  On Tuesday, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or ISIS, an acronym for the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) released a video of American journalist Steven Sotloff barbarically being executed. In the video an ISIL member cloaked in all black with his face covered and speaking with a distinct British accent, taunts the United States and President Obama in particular.  This grisly scene was played out just a little over 2 weeks ago when the seemingly same member performed the same ritual before heinously executing American journalists Jim Foley.  ISIL wants the United States to stop the campaign of air strikes against ISIL in Iraq.  These airstrikes were initiated because of the aggressive and swift advances ISIL has made in capturing significant parts of Iraq, including the city of Mosul, with little to no resistance from Iraqi forces.  There were reports of members of the Iraqi military literally dropping their weapons in combat and retreating to safe territory although they Iraqi army far outweighed ISIL in numbers.  ISIL is well armed for sure.  With the capture of Mosul, ISIL seized weapons the United States gave the Iraqi army when the Iraqi army chose to FLEE instead of FIGHT.  It is open to debate how well funded ISIL is.  When taking over Mosul, it was reported that ISIL looted the Mosul Central Bank to the tune of $400 million.  U.S. intelligence sources downplay that alleged amount to millions but not HUNDREDS of millions (U.S. Official Doubts ISIS Mosul Bank Heist Windfall) and the Financial Times disputes altogether the Mosul Central Bank was looted at all (Biggest bank robbery that‘ never happened’ – $400m Isis heist).  One source of their funding that is not in dispute is the money ISIL has raked in from collecting ransom from families and countries of their kidnap victims.  Sources estimate the ransom take in the last year alone has been north of $25 million.  In fact, before he was executed, Jim Foley's family had entered negotiations for his release with ISIL but those talks broke off when the United States began airstrikes against ISIL.  ISIL also smuggles oil from captured Iraqi oil fields.  ISIL enjoys an obviously consistent revenue stream that allows them to carry out their agenda.  A well funded terrorist organization of this magnitude and the fondness for butchery this group has is CLEARLY a threat to the world community.  They MUST be stopped. 

President Obama faces quite a conundrum.  When he was a presidential candidate leading up to the 2008 presidential election, Barack Obama vowed to get American troops out of Iraq and kept that promise by ending the official military presence of American forces in in December 2011.  The American people had become war weary after the realization of what a fiasco George W. Bush's decision to invade Iraq on false pretenses had become.  The loss of American life and the approximate $12 billion a month price tag had taken its toll on the American people. The American people wanted OUT and President Obama obliged.  Now, with these horrific beheadings of Americans beamed all over the world, the ballgame has changed.  A significant number of Americans want retribution for these sadistic executions.  On a segment of "Hardball with Chris Matthews" (How will Obama react to ISIS killing?), panelists Michael Steele and Eugene Robinson lay out the scenarios President Obama must consider before deciding on how to retaliate to ISIL's barbarism. 

President Obama has to navigate Congress - the SAME Congress that left him hanging in 2013 when he requested permission to bomb Syria under the War Powers Act when it became CLEAR that Syrian president Bashar al-Assad used chemical weapons to stave off Syrian rebels who were attempting to remove him from office.  The Republicans in Congress made the rounds on the talk shows demanding the president act with swift retaliation.  The Republicans are demanding action while at the same time SHUNNING their lawful duties.  The War Powers Act has clear language:

[The War Powers Resolution of 1973 (50 U.S.C. 1541–1548)^[1] is a federal law intended to check the president's power to commit the United States to an armed conflict without the consent of Congress. The resolution was adopted in the form of a United States Congress joint resolution; this provides that the President can send U.S. armed forces into action abroad only by declaration of war by Congress, "statutory authorization," or in case of "a national emergency created by attack upon the United States, its territories or possessions, or its armed forces."]

Congress NEEDS to participate in the decision making process.  The problem the Republicans face is they can NOT be seen as working with President Obama on ANYTHING; especially with just 7 weeks to until the midterm election where the Republicans have a chance to gain control of the Senate. 

President Obama also has to build a coalition among countries in the Middle East INCLUDING Iran and Syria.  The United States doesn't have positive relationships with either country.  The U.S. has levied economic sanctions against Iran because of Iran's pursuit of a nuclear weapon.  The U.S. aided Syrian rebels that attempted to overthrow the Assad regime.  Other nations - Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Turkey and Pakistan - have to come along, too.  Those countries stand more to lose than the United States does simply based on their geography.  ISIL is making headway into unstable Libya and unstable Lebanon.  The entire Middle East has been affected.  Western Europe - the United Kingdom, Germany, France, et al - have to be a willing and active participants. Standing on the sidelines won't cut it this time.  Building a coalition out of this morass will be a tough hill to climb. 

President Obama's BIGGEST challenge, though, will be getting the American people on board with the idea of yet another military conflict in the Middle East.  You can't blame the American people for being reluctant to send men and women of the armed forces into harm's way.  The country was misled into war back in  2003.  The horrific images of Americans beheaded may, however, prove to alter the country's mind set. 

The job of President of the United States is a difficult one to say the least.  There seemingly is a defining moment every week.  This situation definitely fits into that category.  Like everyone, I am wondering what will President Obama do.

WHAT would YOU do? 

Peace, peace.

Craig Riggins
Email: therigginsreport517@gmail.com
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