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President Obama Announces Operation Enduring Burden.
Gary North
On the evening of September 10, President Obama delivered a speech on ISIL, as he calls it, which everyone else calls ISIS.
Here is his problem. ISIS stands for Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. ISIL stands for Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. Hardly any American knows what the Levant is. It's the entire region.
If President Obama were to stick with the acronym ISIS, this would create a huge PR problem. If he calls it the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, this makes it clear that two countries are involved. Therefore, he must commit American forces -- but not troops, meaning "boots on the ground" -- to war in two nations. One of them is Syria. Until a few months ago, ISIS was regarded by American foreign policy experts as being part of the opposition in Syria -- opposition to the government of Syria, which is run by Bashar "Hitler" Assad.
ISIS four months ago was a freedom-fighting organization. Now it is officially a fighting-freedom organization. Keep this in mind as you read the highlights of the President's speech.
My fellow Americans, tonight I want to speak to you about what the United States will do with our friends and allies to degrade and ultimately destroy the terrorist group known as ISIL.
He calls it ISIL Over the last year, the President has overseen the transfer of money and weapons to ISIS, a freedom-fighting organization in Syria. Now he is going to transfer more money and more weapons to the freedom fighters in Syria, who will use it to fight the ISIL organization, which is fighting-freedom organization.
I hope you understand the difference. You have an obligation to understand the difference. Without this understanding, American foreign policy would look like decision-making by lunatics.
Furthermore, he assured us that the leaders of ISIL are confused. They call the organization "Islamic" -- the first I in ISIS. The President is not confused. ISIS is not Islamic at all. Not one little bit.
Now let's make two things clear: ISIL is not Islamic. No religion condones the killing of innocents, and the vast majority of ISIL's victims have been Muslim.
So, from now on, I recommend that the first I in ISIL should for "International."
Next, what is the second thing Americans must get clear? The "S" does not stand for State.
And ISIL is certainly not a state. It was formerly al-Qaida's affiliate in Iraq and has taken advantage of sectarian strife and Syria's civil war to gain territory on both sides of the Iraq-Syrian border. It is recognized by no government nor by the people it subjugates. ISIL is a terrorist organization, pure and simple. And it has no vision other than the slaughter of all who stand in its way.
So, from now, I recommend that the S stand for "Society."
This leaves I and L. How about "Irreconcilable" and "Losers"?
I'm just trying to help the President. He has a PR problem. A lot of Americans think ISIS is an Islamic terrorist organization. It cannot be, according to President Obama. "Islamic" and "terrorist" cannot go together, by definition.
His definition.
Where is all this leading? To permanent war. At the end of his speech, he announced his new foreign policy.
America, our endless blessings bestow an enduring burden. But as Americans, we welcome our responsibility to lead. From Europe to Asia, from the far reaches of Africa to war-torn capitals of the Middle East, we stand for freedom, for justice, for dignity. These are values that have guided our nation since its founding.
Every military operation needs a name. I recommend this: "Operation Enduring Burden." That would make this the first military operation in American history that has an accurate name. This one is not going to end. It is the forever war.
Bush's war against terrorism was initially called "Operation Infinite Justice." That seemed just a tad messianic. So, it was soon officially replaced with "Operation Enduring Freedom." But "Operation Enduring Burden" is closer to the mark. Much closer.
He spoke on our behalf: "But as Americans, we welcome our responsibility to lead." Anyway, he spoke for those who want to take up what used to be called the white man's burden. That phrase has fallen out of favor since about 1945. Now it's the American taxpayer's burden and the Federal Reserve System's burden.
Forever.
Tonight, I ask for your support in carrying that leadership forward. I do so as a commander in chief who could not be prouder of our men and women in uniform -- pilots who bravely fly in the face of danger above the Middle East and service members who support our partners on the ground.
Our pilots do bravely fly in the face of danger. It is true that they are in Nevada, while the bomb-carrying drones are in -- dare I say it? -- the Levant, but there is still great danger. A drone may hit a wedding party. That is very dangerous for the long-term careers of the pilots in Nevada.
As commander in chief, my highest priority is the security of the American people. Over the last several years, we have consistently taken the fight to terrorists who threaten our country. We took out Osama bin Laden and much of al-Qaida's leadership in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
I had not heard that Al-Qaeda is no longer in Pakistan. It is my understanding that Pakistan's equivalent of the CIA is no longer funneling American money into Al-Qaeda, the way it did prior to 9-11. But that's about it on the anti-Al-Qaeda front. The U.S. did not tell Pakistan's government about the raid to kill Osama, because the generals knew that the Pakistanis would not authorize the raid. Then, mysteriously, Osama would have disappeared from the compound.
We've targeted al-Qaida's affiliate in Yemen and recently eliminated the top commander of its affiliate in Somalia. We've done so while bringing more than 140,000 American troops home from Iraq and drawing down our forces in Afghanistan, where our combat mission will end later this year. Thanks to our military and counterterrorism professionals, America is safer.
Safer than what? Safer than when? Safer than where? He did not say. But remember this: he had only two weeks to develop this new policy. Cut him some slack. He is under a lot of pressure.
Still, we continue to face a terrorist threat. We can't erase every trace of evil from the world and small groups of killers have the capacity to do great harm. That was the case before 9/11, and that remains true today. And that's why we must remain vigilant as threats emerge.
Except on the Mexican border.
But we can count on this. After the November elections, ISIL members living inside the United States will not e granted amnesty. We can count on the President in this important area of post-election executive orders.
So ISIL poses a threat to the people of Iraq and Syria and the broader Middle East, including American citizens, personnel and facilities.
By "facilities," he presumably meant the 12 military bases that the U.S. government still has in Iraq. This is now part of Operation Enduring Burden. It used to be part of Operation Enduring Pipeline.
If left unchecked, these terrorists could pose a growing threat beyond that region, including to the United States. While we have not yet detected specific plotting against our homeland, ISIL leaders have threatened America and our allies. Our intelligence community believes that thousands of foreigners, including Europeans and some Americans, have joined them in Syria and Iraq. Trained and battle-hardened, these fighters could try to return to their home countries and carry out deadly attacks.
No amnesty for them after the November elections!
I know many Americans are concerned about these threats. Tonight I want you to know that the United States of America is meeting them with strength and resolve. Last month I ordered our military to take targeted action against ISIL to stop its advances. Since then we've conducted more than 150 successful airstrikes in Iraq.
He did not check with Congress, but nobody in Congress complained. So, it's now Operation Enduring Burden.
But this is not our fight alone. American power can make a decisive difference, but we cannot do for Iraqis what they must do for themselves, nor can we take the place of Arab partners in securing their region. That's why I've insisted that additional U.S. action depended upon Iraqis forming an inclusive government, which they have now done in recent days.
This seems reasonable. It is now 2014. Bush invaded in 2003. It seems reasonable that Iraq get an inclusive government. All those purple thumbs really ought to mean something. So far, they haven't, according to the President. It seems that Operation Purple Thumb somehow got sidetracked. These things happen. We must be patient.
So tonight, with a new Iraqi government in place, and following consultations with allies abroad and Congress at home, I can announce that America will lead a broad coalition to roll back this terrorist threat. Our objective is clear: We will degrade and ultimately destroy ISIL through a comprehensive and sustained counterterrorism strategy.
This will be enduring.
First, we will conduct a systematic campaign of airstrikes against these terrorists. Working with the Iraqi government, we will expand our efforts beyond protecting our own people and humanitarian missions so that we're hitting ISIL targets as Iraqi forces go on offense. Moreover, I have made it clear that we will hunt down terrorists who threaten our country, wherever they are. That means I will not hesitate to take action against ISIL in Syria as well as Iraq. This is a core principle of my presidency: If you threaten America, you will find no safe haven.
This will be enduring.
Second, we will increase our support to forces fighting these terrorists on the ground. In June, I deployed several hundred American service members to Iraq to assess how we can best support Iraqi security forces. Now that those teams have completed their work and Iraq has formed a government, we will send an additional 475 service members to Iraq. As I have said before, these American forces will not have a combat mission. We will not get dragged into another ground war in Iraq.
If these any of these troops should be so unfortunate as to get killed, Obama will not bring in more troops to retaliate -- not even after the November elections. We have his word on this.
But they are needed to support Iraqi and Kurdish forces with training, intelligence and equipment. We'll also support Iraq's efforts to stand up national guard units to help Sunni communities secure their own freedom from ISIL control.
One of these days, Real Soon Now.
Across the border in Syria, we have ramped up our military assistance to the Syrian opposition. Tonight, I again call on Congress, again, to give us additional authorities and resources to train and equip these fighters.
We did this before, back when the trainees were part of ISIS. But this will not happen again, now that they are ISIL.
In the fight against ISIL, we cannot rely on an Assad regime that terrorizes its own people -- a regime that will never regain the legitimacy it has lost. Instead, we must strengthen the opposition as the best counterweight to extremists like ISIL, while pursuing the political solution necessary to solve Syria's crisis once and for all.
So, those brave Islamic freedom fighters who are today fighting the murderous Assad will now shift precious resources to fight the ungrateful but non-Islamic ISIL, which took all that U.S. military training and all that U.S.-taxpayer-supplied weaponry and treacherously launched a war against the non-inclusive government of Iraq, which the U.S. government has been supporting from day one.
Third, we will continue to draw on our substantial counterterrorism capabilities to prevent ISIL attacks. Working with our partners, we will redouble our efforts to cut off its funding, improve our intelligence, strengthen our defenses, counter its warped ideology, and stem the flow of foreign fighters into and out of the Middle East.
One of these days, Real Soon Now.
And in two weeks, will chair a meeting of the U.N. Security Council to further mobilize the international community around this effort.
Send in the U.N.'s blue helmets! Peace is almost at hand!
Fourth, we will continue to provide humanitarian assistance to innocent civilians who've been displaced by this terrorist organization. This includes Sunni and Shia Muslims who are at grave risk, as well as tens of thousands of Christians and other religious minorities. We cannot allow these communities to be driven from their ancient homelands.
Think of this as food stamps for the Levant. It's all part of Operation Enduring Burden.
So this is our strategy.
A week ago, he said he did not have a strategy. Now he does. This is the best he could come up with.
And in each of these four parts of our strategy, America will be joined by a broad coalition of partners. Already, allies are flying planes with us over Iraq, sending arms and assistance to Iraqi security forces and the Syrian opposition, sharing intelligence and providing billions of dollars in humanitarian aid.
He will name these allies . . . after the November elections.
Secretary Kerry was in Iraq today meeting with the new government and supporting their efforts to promote unity, and in the coming days he will travel across the Middle East and Europe to enlist more partners in this fight, especially Arab nations who can help mobilize Sunni communities in Iraq and Syria to drive these terrorists from their lands. This is American leadership at its best: We stand with people who fight for their own freedom, and we rally other nations on behalf of our common security and common humanity.
With John Kerry coordinating Operation Enduring Burden, how could it fail?
My administration has also secured bipartisan support for this approach here at home. I have the authority to address the threat from ISIL.
Therefore, he doesn't need to tell Boehner anything, but he will, as a sign of gracious condescension . . . after the November elections.
But I believe we are strongest as a nation when the president and Congress work together. So I welcome congressional support for this effort in order to show the world that Americans are united in confronting this danger.
Now, it will take time to eradicate a cancer like ISIL.
You can't argue with that. Remember, this is Operation Enduring Burden.
And any time we take military action, there are risks involved, especially to the servicemen and -women who carry out these missions. But I want the American people to understand how this effort will be different from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It will not involve American combat troops fighting on foreign soil. This counterterrorism campaign will be waged through a steady, relentless effort to take out ISIL wherever they exist, using our air power and our support for partners' forces on the ground.
From now on, when we think "defending America," we must think "drones." When it comes to defending America, we can count on drones.
This strategy of taking out terrorists who threaten us while supporting partners on the front lines is one that we have successfully pursued in Yemen and Somalia for years, and it is consistent with the approach I outlined earlier this year: to use force against anyone who threatens America's core interests, but to mobilize partners wherever possible to address broader challenges to international order.
Our Somalia operation from now on is our model. Think of Operation Enduring Burden as a regional Operation Black Hawk Down.
Our children will always remember that there was someone who felt our struggle and made a long journey to protect innocent people.
They will remember, because they will still be paying for it. This is Operation Enduring Burden.
That is the difference we make in the world. And our own safety, our own security depends upon our willingness to do what it takes to defend this nation and uphold the values that we stand for -- timeless ideals that will endure long after those who offer only hate and destruction have been vanquished from the Earth.
May God bless our troops and may God bless the United States of America.
And may He also bless the Federal Reserve System, which will create all the digital money that taxes will not cover.
