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Military Leaders Increasingly at Odds With Obama Over ISIS Strategy
Townhall.com ^ | September 19, 2014 | Katie Pavlich

Posted on 09/19/2014 11:04:35 AM PDT by Kaslin

Obama's strategy on how to combat ISIS is confusing at best, but one thing is clear: the battle brewing between Obama and America's top generals about how to move forward against the terror army. 

Earlier this week during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dempsey said there is potential he will recommend ground troops should the coalition with Arab countries against ISIS fail. 

“My view at this point is that this coalition is the appropriate way forward. I believe that will prove true but if it fails to be true and if there are threats to the United States then I of course would go back to the President and make a recommendation that we include the use of U.S. military ground forces. To be clear, if we reach the point where I believe our advisers should accompany Iraqi troops on attacks against specific ISIL targets, I will recommend that to the president," Dempsey said.

The next day, President Obama gave a speech in Florida at U.S. Central Command and stressed, "I will not commit you, and the rest of our armed forces, to fighting another ground war in Iraq." Obama has repeatedly insisted ground troops will not be used against ISIS.

Regardless, the line of generals and other high ranking military officials expressing skepticism over President Obama's plan and strategy is quickly getting longer. 

Retired Marine Gen. James Mattis:

"Half-hearted or tentative efforts, or air strikes alone, can backfire on us and actually strengthen our foe’s credibility, reinforcing his recruiting efforts which are already strong. I do not necessarily advocate American ground forces at this point, but we should never reassure our enemy that our commander‐in‐chief would not commit them at the time and place of his choosing. When we act it should be unequivocal, designed to end the fight as swiftly as possible. While no one is more reluctant to see us again in combat than those of us who have signed letters to the next of kin of our fallen, if something is worth fighting for we must bring full strength to bear."
General Loyd Austin:
President Obama had been given advice on how to handle the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant but did not act on it, according to a new report from Real Clear Defense.Obama was preparing his strategy when he rejected the “best military advice” of Gen. Lloyd Austin, commander of U.S. Central Command.

General Ray Odierno:

Airstrikes have halted the advance of the Islamic State, also known by the acronyms ISIS or ISIL, General Odierno, now the Army chief of staff, told journalists from four news organizations, including The New York Times, in what aides said were his first public comments on the current situation in Iraq. Ultimately, though, “you’ve got to have ground forces that are capable of going in and rooting them out,” he said, referring to the Islamic extremists.

The airstrikes “will not be the end all and be all solution in Iraq,” he said. Similarly, he added, the jihadis cannot be allowed to have a safe haven across the border in Syria.

Lt. Col. Oliver North:

"In my military mind what you have is Operation Enduring Confusion. You have a President who cannot make up his mind about what he wants." 

"I've spent my whole life hanging around the U.S. military. I've been on plenty of times with you from Iraq and other places. I've spent my life with these young guys. I'm waiting for the general or admiral who will stand up on his hind feet and say this is mission impossible. Given the constraints that you've [Obama] given we cannot accomplish the objective you have set. It is impossible to do."

"Somebody has to tell the truth...Some general or admiral at the Pentagon or somewhere else in Central Command has got to stand up and say, 'The mission we've been given we can do but we can't with the constraints you've places upon us.'"

Last night on The Kelly File, General Jack Keane gave his analysis:

Generals stand up against Obama's ISIS strategy

And then there's this:

Gen. McInerney: “The president is fighting a political campaign… the generals are fighting an enemy overseas.” #KellyFile— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) September 19, 2014

The current situation in Iraq is a direct result of President Obama choosing politics over the advice of his generals. Even with the threat of ISIS, things haven't changed.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: alqaeda; armedforces; barack0bama; foreignpolicy; generals; iraq; is; isil; isis; islamicstate; jihad; micromanagement; micromanager; middleeast; military; obama; obamanation; obamanewisisstrategy; obamatruthfile; syria; waronterror; wot

1 posted on 09/19/2014 11:04:35 AM PDT by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin

Gimme a “C”

Gimme an “O”

Gimme a “U”.......


2 posted on 09/19/2014 11:08:58 AM PDT by Buckeye McFrog
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To: Kaslin

I’ll bet there’s a list as long as my arm, leg, the road down my street, the road back to Washington from California..., that our military have differences with Obama.


3 posted on 09/19/2014 11:12:42 AM PDT by DoughtyOne (Obama and the Left are maggots feeding off the flesh of the United States.)
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To: Buckeye McFrog

That is exactly what is needed


4 posted on 09/19/2014 11:12:58 AM PDT by Kaslin (He needed the ignorant to reelect him, and he got them. Now we all have to pay the consequenses)
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To: Kaslin

If the military leaders are united against Hussein Soetoro, they should overthrow him. They would have most of the population’s support if they did that. Since the military wants to destroy ISIS and Soetoro wants to have our troops killed by ISIS, I’d say that they have a moral obligation to do so.


5 posted on 09/19/2014 11:16:17 AM PDT by Objective Scrutator (All liberals are criminals, and all criminals are liberals)
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To: Kaslin

Different strategy because of different goals. Obama only wants token air strikes allowing ISIL to ultimately, grow. Look for generals and admirals to begin dropping like flies.


6 posted on 09/19/2014 11:17:23 AM PDT by ryan71 (The Partisans)
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To: Kaslin

These military “leaders” only have experience in military operations. It takes experience in community organizing to understand the genius of Obama. Everyone just needs to shut up and let Obama organize all of the communities in Iraq and Syria. If only he’d put one of the OWS leaders in charge instead of a military leader we’d probably have peace in the middle east by now.


7 posted on 09/19/2014 11:28:32 AM PDT by LostPassword
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To: Objective Scrutator

The military leaders should all go to the White House with hundreds or maybe even thousands of MPs and have them arrest that arrogant pos and his entire administration


8 posted on 09/19/2014 11:30:34 AM PDT by Kaslin (He needed the ignorant to reelect him, and he got them. Now we all have to pay the consequenses)
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To: Kaslin

What truly remarkable is that these are his hand picked syncophants.


9 posted on 09/19/2014 11:32:24 AM PDT by Pietro
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To: LostPassword

Finally a breath of fresh air here on FR. Let’s hope all these war-monger FReepers see the light!


10 posted on 09/19/2014 11:40:10 AM PDT by Veggie Todd (The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. TJ)
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To: Kaslin
My suggestion is to put 40,000 of the most elite military in Iraq and make a rapid push killing all they can on the way to the Syrian border and while this is going on bomb the hell out of the Syrian border that these filthy pigs have set up shop. Do not attempt this without collateral damage. Should push most of the rats in boxes for underground storage while they wait to get their virgins.
11 posted on 09/19/2014 11:40:51 AM PDT by Logical me
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To: LostPassword

Obama is like one of those lame comedians that is only funny to other comedians.


12 posted on 09/19/2014 11:46:49 AM PDT by RaveOn ("No amount of logic can shatter a faith consciously based on a lie." Lamar Keene, "True Believers")
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To: Kaslin

Obama has no strategy.
Obama only does what he perceives is of some political benefit to himself.
Obama does not accept or admit that Islam is a scourge and refuses to deal with muslims accordingly.


13 posted on 09/19/2014 12:08:47 PM PDT by SECURE AMERICA (I am an American. Not a Republican or a Democrat.)
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To: SECURE AMERICA

Very well said


14 posted on 09/19/2014 12:31:44 PM PDT by Kaslin (He needed the ignorant to reelect him, and he got them. Now we all have to pay the consequenses)
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To: Buckeye McFrog

Give you a “P?” I was thinking the same thing right before I read your post.


15 posted on 09/19/2014 12:33:57 PM PDT by Pearls Before Swine
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To: Kaslin

These military leaders will be “retiring” soon.


16 posted on 09/19/2014 2:16:19 PM PDT by jch10 (WHAT DO YOU EXPECT FROM THE COYOTE IN CHIEF?)
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To: jch10

By force I am sure


17 posted on 09/19/2014 3:40:52 PM PDT by Kaslin (He needed the ignorant to reelect him, and he got them. Now we all have to pay the consequenses)
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To: Objective Scrutator

Hate to say it but were the military to overthrow this punk ass mooslimb fag,
I’d support em.


18 posted on 09/20/2014 4:19:26 AM PDT by Joe Boucher
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