Obama in this country and Cameron in the UK have reduced the size of armed forces even while making more military commitments to deal with the IS in Iraq or the Russians in Eastern Europe.
There is no military option involving defeat of any enemies with military means.
I read Peter Hitchens column in the “Daily Mail” some months ago where he expects the leaders of his country like Obama’s friend David Cameron to be at a negotiating table with the IS sometime in the future and the Islamic State will be normalized and guests at state dinners etc. etc.
So he’s kissing the butt of “friendly” Middle Eastern powers, but that’s going to entail selling Middle Eastern style censorship and propaganda, only the citizenry is going to look at their president like he’s sprouted antennas.
Well, this is looking like the run-up to WWII only with sand. It’s a shame that Russia suffered as they did when they tried to modernize under Yeltsin, the world would be a better place if that would have gone right and Putin had not happened.
For sure you can’t “normalize” relations with IS because while they are remarkably good at destroying they lack an aptitude for building an even marginally functional society. At least Hitler got Germany out from under sanctions and made the trains run on time. Now you take Iran OTOH...