General Anthony Zinni, during one of today's round tables, said that to defeat ISIS there needs to be a 'coalition of outsiders' or phrased another way (Wes Moore's) an international coalition. If ISIS is a global threat, and it is, it's going to take a concerted effort by the world's most powerful nations to rally the regions powers to rid the Middle East region of this terrorist army (Richard Engel's words) and purveyor of chaos. However, China has little interest in getting mixed up in any affairs of the region. As a matter of fact, China makes a deliberate effort to not get involved. For Russia and Vladimir Putin ISIS provides a strategic blessing.
While the United States has the west's attention is concentrated on ISIS, Mr. Putin can act practically without impunity in Eastern Europe however he sees fit. Senator Diane Feinstein (D-CA) said that she believes this is a deeply personal matter for Mr. Putin to return Russia to its former level of influence and control in Eastern Europe, a return to glory if you're so inclined to think that way. Any move against ISIS is going to have to be done without either of those countries takig part and both would like nothing better than to see the United States drain it's military and diplomatic resources even more than it already has, rendering it ineffectual on the world stage.
It was the gamble that was laid down in 2003 when the United States decided to invade Iraq - that decision was either going to pay big dividends in terms of influence in the region and around the world, as it related to oil and energy, or it was going to slowly bleed the United States of its monetary and more decidedly moral strength to influence other nations. We see where we are now - the dividends are nonexistent.
What we're left with is a cautious president, unwilling to take definitive action on anything foreign policy related, and this cautiousness or herky-jerky (Ruth Marcus' technical term) approach is reinforced by a Congress concerned about elections instead of running the country. When Meet The Press showed that YouTube video of John Boehner, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, with the toy monkey, we found that embarrassing. This is what the political leaders in Washington are reduced to doing?
Some are saying that Russia's moves in Ukraine are an incursion. No, that's incorrect - it's an invasion. Russia troops crossing the Ukrainian border to start a third front in a civil conflict is an invasion, and the fact is that Ukraine and Russia are at war, though one side is fighting it, at the moment, through a proxy. And because of the tactical distraction that ISIS is providing Mr. Putin against his western (U.S.) adversaries, there is no reason for him to stop until Russia achieves a 'special sphere of interest' exclusive to Russia, as stated by a Russian official during a taped segment today. But you notice in that statement that Russia wants to create this regardless of whether the countries under this 'special sphere' want it or not. Former Ambassador to Russia, Micheal McFaul had no answer when asked what would stop Mr. Putin. Mr. Putin knows his history and that it will repeat itself in as much as western Europe acquiescing to hostile Russia advances in the east where essentially they'll do nothing.
Congress needs to debate these issues immediately upon returning to session, the first of which must be the threat of ISIS because they along with other terror groups are looking to turn their aggression toward western countries. We're not eager to see the United States commit to another war with troops on the ground but it's difficult to determine whether General Zinni was being accurate or cavalier when he said that 2 American brigades could defeat ISIS in a short amount of time. The folly of the Bush-Cheney Iraq invasion has sowed the doubt.
What we do find laughable is that the United States would actually heed a warning from the Assad regime not to conduct airstrikes on ISIS in Syria as that would be an act of aggression against a sovereign nation. The United States has heeded this warning. Now some would say that if the U.S. did conduct airstrikes on ISIS in Syria that this would be in effect helping the Assad regime. However, the U.S. (the Obama Administration) could play it a different way and say 'no,' the start of these airstrikes on Syrian territory are actually putting Assad on notice - that once ISIS is decimated, you'll be the next pariah to be dealt with.
Generally, this column is not hawkish, but with ISIS, they threat is too great to way too many. So we agree with General Zinni in that the Syrian border within the Islamic State should not be honored. Mr. Obama has to starting getting out front and lead from there, but he can not do - we repeat CAN NOT - if he doesn't have Congressional support. And if Congress can not support its president, on foreign policy at the very least, diminishing returns are all we're going to get.
Round Table 1: Michael Leiter, NBC National Security Correspondent; Michelle Flournoy, former Under Secretary of Defense; General Anthony Zinni; Former Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul
Round Table 2: Doris Kearns-Godwin, presidential historian; Wes Moore, author; Ruth Marcus, The Washington Post; and David Henniger, The Wall Street Journal
Two More Things:
Really, there is sexism in the U.S. Senate? An body politic dominated by old white men who've been living in a surrealistic ideological dogmatic bubble for way too long, we simply can't believe it... please.
Lastly, big congratulations to Chuck Todd on becoming the new moderator of "Meet The Press." We look forward to opining on the programs under your stewardship.
One More Thing:
To all the hardworking, happy Labor Day! Try to take it easy at least for one day this weekend.
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