Carter: US begins direct action in Iraq and Syria

I know you’re shocked, shocked I tell you that Ashton Carter announced yesterday that US forces will begin to take direct action against ISIS in Syria and Iraq according to NBC News. Of course, the action last week by Delta troops was a toe dipped into the waters of public opinion;

Carter and Pentagon officials initially refused to characterize the rescue operation as U.S. boots on the ground. However, Carter said last week that the military expects “more raids of this kind” and that the rescue mission “represents a continuation of our advise and assist mission.”

This may mean some American soldiers “will be in harm’s way, no question about it,” Carter said last week.

I suspect that this is in reaction to the Russians who have plans to engage their own ground forces with anti-Assad rebels. This change in policy has not been entirely unexpected. This President is more worried about the legacy of his administration, so it stands to reason that he doesn’t want historians to blame the Nobel Prize winner for losing Iraq. Besides, he knows that the military, despite the fact that he’s screwed the living shit out of them in regards to pay and benefits, has been dependable when he needs his fat dragged from the fire, unlike his other agencies.

“This is combat and things are complicated,” Carter said.

Yeah, which is why you shouldn’t make promises you can’t keep. I expect that soon we’ll see another infantry brigade or two headed out for a deployment to Iraq.

Thanks to Chief Tango for the link.

Category: Terror War