Name:   Talullahhound - Subject:   It IS NOT Obama's fault Date:   12/28/2015 1:39:32 PM

After hearing numerous past SECDEFs saying that the WH is micromanaging the Pentagon and ignoring the recommendations of the military,  I cannot imagine what Obama has in mind.  When people talk about putting a lot of boots on the ground, I wonder where the money will come from to pay for that; however, limiting our efforts to an air war seems to be limited in its effectiveness. 

I'm sorry, but I cannot blame Obama in total for ISIS.  I think you have to go back to the Russian occupation of Afghanistan.  We equipped the Muja Hadeen, and then when the Russians withdrew, we dropped them flat.  And that group begat Al Queda, which begat ISIS.  The U.S. has a long history of supporting rebel groups for the short term and then withdrawing our support just as sharply. 

One only need look at our history with Iran to see the failures of the U.S. foreign policy.  We supported the Shah as he was increasing violent against his own people, until it was no longer convenient for us, and then we withdrew our support.  When he  was ousted by his own people and the Ayattolhs took over, we allowed him to come to the U.S. and the revolutionaries took our embassy hostage. 

Even when Iraq went into Kuwait, we only drove them back over the border and stopped, until the neocons decided what we really needed to do was to take out Saddam huessin to establish a democracy and thew that country into chaos and allowed Al Queda to come in. 

So as near as I can see, Obama has merely continued our failed foreign policies in that region.  Until we change this idea that we can somehow fix the world, and we stop doing what it convenient for us in the short term, ignoring the long term implications, we will continue to have problems.  Maybe it is time for us to come home and work on eliminating the threat at home.