“The administration has been leading from behind. In the military, we would call that following. Their reluctant approach is only emboldening ISIS to recruit more fighters as they claim they have been attacked by U.S. airpower for 15 months, yet the momentum is theirs.
“Our strategy must include utilizing all elements of national power. We must unleash American air power to destroy their leadership, command and control, logistics, and their means of financing their terror.
“For 17 months, ISIS has been exporting black-market oil to fund their operations, and we just finally started striking the fuel trucks with the mighty A-10 warthog, the airplane I flew. The aircrews have been doing the best they can under overly restricted rules of engagement. We need to take the gloves off, let them do their jobs now to destroy ISIS capabilities in Iraq and Syria.
I agree with the point about taking out fuel trucks. What
has her precious Air Force been bombing? But when McSally says “we must unleash American air power” and “take the gloves off,” what exactly does she mean?
We do not fight air wars like we did in World War II, with little concern for civilian populations. The U.S. could fly round-the-clock missions against Raqqa, Syria, the purported capitol of ISIS, with B-1 bombers out of Germany and B-52 bombers out of Diego Garcia. Does McSally want to carpet bomb or to fire bomb Raqqa like we did to Dresden, Germany and Japanese cities? The “collateral damage” to captive civilian populations would only be a recruiting tool for ISIS. Is this what you want, Rep. McSally?
And does anyone think that the Russians operating inside Syria are going to stand by and allow this? This could lead to an escalation into a super-power conflict out of what is a proxy war. Tough talk is cheap, Rep. McSally, what exactly
is your air power plan? I want to know specifics. And if you have a plan, why have you not shared your supposed insight with the president?
“Next, we need to show leadership again in the broader Middle East. Our close ally Israel and our Sunni Arab allies are rightfully confused and dismayed by