The multiple bombings across Paris Friday night brought home the “inconvenient truth,” that once again, the United States must engage in full-fledged battle.
If not, it’s only a matter of time before terrorists associated with the Islamist State will successfully make target in the United States.
As recently as last month the Register advocated the United States cease its efforts to stabilize — much less bring democracy — the Middle East. The quagmire of opposing factions within Islam coupled with manufactured borders drawn up by Westerners following World War II predisposes the region to conflict even in the best of times.
But in two weeks’ time ISIS terrorists have killed hundreds in three separate countries: The downing of a Soviet airliner in the Sinai Desert on Oct. 31, death count, 224. Two suicide bombings in Beirut on Thursday, death toll, 43. And then Friday’s Paris bombings, death count 129, with hundreds more injured.
ISIS terrorists claim responsibility for all three attacks in retaliation of recent aggression by the Soviet Union and Europe. Lebanon was targeted, the terrorists said, because of its role in accepting refugees from Syria who are trying to escape the infiltration of ISIS troops there.
The United States and its allies cannot be intimidated by such quid pro quo violence. The recent U.S. air campaign targeting ISIS in Syria must be intensified with our allies, including Russia, in step. It was heartening to hear Russian President Vladimir Putin say, “Fighting this evil requires the real unity of the forces of the whole international community.”
AT THIS POINT, it doesn’t really matter how things got so bad. At Saturday night’s Democratic presidential debate Sen. Bernie Sanders tried to pin the blame on Hillary Clinton’s vote as a U.S. Senator in 2002 to invade Iraq. Did the U.S. invasion further destabilize the Middle East? Undoubtedly. But we can’t rewrite history and must deal with the situation as it is today.
Every day the numbers of the disaffected, particularly youth, swell, falling prey to a slick propaganda machine that pits Eastern vs. Western thought. Most have no allegiance to Islam; but yearn for the sense of purpose the campaign provides. That’s one symptom of the astronomically high rate of unemployment in the Middle East and its dysfunctional governments.
This recent spate of attacks makes clear that ISIS is no longer content with a regional campaign, and feels emboldened to take it abroad with little to no provocation required. The wanton killings must be stopped.
The headline across the top of Saturday’s Le Parisien, was chilling.
“Cette fois, c’est la guerre.”
This time, it’s war.
Could it be anything else?
— Susan Lynn
