Peering into 2015, there
are wars into which our interventionists are
eager to plunge that represent no immediate
or grave threat to us.
One is the war the Islamic
State group is waging in Syria and Iraq, a
menace so great, we are told, it may require
U.S. ground troops.
But why? Syria and Iraq
are 5,000 miles away. And because of its
barbarism and incompetence, the Islamic
State is losing support in the Sunni lands
it now occupies.
The Kurds have halted the
group’s advance toward Irbil, Iraq. Shiite
militias, no friends of ours, have halted
its advance toward Baghdad. The Islamic
State is under steady drone and air attack
by the U.S. and Arab allies. Iran is
providing men and materiel to Damascus and
Baghdad in their battle against the group.
Now the Turks and Gulf
Arabs, including the Saudis, appear to have
awakened to the threat and are weighing in
against the Islamic State.
Why not let them do the
fighting?
By staying out of the two
world wars of the 20th century until the
other great powers were fully engaged and
horribly bled, America emerged triumphant
with the fewest casualties and least damage.
That used to be called
statesmanship.
-- Pat Buchanan, "Is War in the Cards for 2015?" (Information Clearing House).