The New War

The war with ISIS that is forming has laid bare the fecklessness of our useless congress, which has the duty of deciding when we go to war. Congress is letting the President decide what to do (and then be attacked for the consequences, whatever they may be). We've learned to expect that sort of thing. But I'm impressed this time around by the pointless nattering of my own favorite political commentators.

 Like most people, I tend to watch, listen and read political commentary from people I agree with. It's more fun that way. What seems clear in this round of war is that my commentators are striking empty poses. They have many criticisms to level but no useful solutions to offer. Nothing. Nada. Just droning criticism, the establishment liberals quoting one another. Only Rachel Maddow seems to have kept her feet under her (so far). 

The right is calling for American troops to be sent. Forget about that. "Bombing accomplishes nothing." (Actually, bombing is what stopped ISIS in its tracks last month.) The American public has been told that we can only fail, and polls show that Americans believe we will fail. ISIS, we are warned, has developed a conventional army, and if there is one thing no one can cope with it is a conventional army (?). "We should train the moderates in Syria," if there are any. The wily ISIS beheadings, some commentators say, have tricked much of the world into a hatred of ISIS, and this works to the advantage of ISIS because, well, no reason. "They have out-thought us again."

Maybe the problem of ISIS should be solved by the people who live in the area, including Jordan and Iran. America should not lead. We should offer help to moderates when we're asked (the Kurds asked). In a cooperative struggle against the medieval genocide of ISIS, perhaps the Middle East peoples can rearrange the sand into more natural countries that work better for the natives in the long run. Or not. It should be up to them.