We appear to be moving ever closer toward a world war against the Islamic State.

[eridani]

http://www.nationofchange.org/2015/11/24/five-prerequisites-for-war-against-isis/

We appear to be moving ever closer toward a world war against the Islamic State.

No sane person welcomes war. Yet if we do go to war against ISIS we must keep a watchful eye on 5 things:

1. The burden of fighting the war must be widely shared among Americans.

2. We must not sacrifice our civil liberties.
U.S. spy agencies no longer have authority they had in the post-9/11 USA Patriot Act to collect Americans’ phone and other records. The NSA must now gain court approval for such access.

3. We must minimize the deaths of innocent civilians abroad.
The bombing raids have already claimed a terrible civilian toll, contributing to a mass exodus of refugees

4. We must not tolerate anti-Muslim bigotry in the United States.
Already, leading Republican candidates are fanning the flames.

5. The war must be paid for with higher taxes on the rich.

A week before the terrorist attacks in Paris, the Senate passed a $607 billion defense spending bill, with 93 senators in favor and 3 opposed (including Bernie Sanders). The House has already passed it, 370 to 58. Obama has said he’ll sign it.

[flamingdem]

1. I think there are enough special ops forces that are volunteers

Right now just 50 are on tap, that might be increased to 150. I can't see the numbers coming from our country, it has to be the Arabs, at least while Obama is Potus.

Agree about taxes.

[akbacchus_BC]

2. When are you signing up to serve to keep America safe?

[uppityperson]

4. Did eridani write that article?

[akbacchus_BC]

5. I do not know, please ask him or her!

[eridani]

6. I think it was Robert Reich n/t

[uppityperson]

3. This is the reason I did a poll 2 days ago asking if duers would predict a draft.

If we go into a ground war against ISIS, we should seriously consider reinstating the draft.

Hell. No.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10027373183

[Yorktown]

7. It would be insane to put US troops on the ground

Would fan the zeal of candidate jihadists all around the world

The West is waging war on Islam, etc, etc,..

[Hekate]

8. Which the Islamic States have been praying for, quite literally. Damn apocalyptic death cults.

Seriously, they want us in their territories. It just depresses me.

In my opinion, Obama has been quite rational and measured, and has done his damndest to get us out of the ME, or at least have as little hostile contact as possible. I know there are people here who believe otherwise, but that has been my observation.

It has also been my observation that there are forces in this world who lust for War. Some of them are in this country, from the Neocons to the batshit crazy wing of the fundies. But the rest are outside our shores and we have little or no control over them. Putin wants a war, and will continue to annex territory. ISIL/Daesh, Al Quaeda, all those guys who want to blow themselves up -- they seriously seriously want to destabilize the whole world, and they want our soldiers in their holy territory so they can hasten the end of the world. Oh, and China is aggressive in the Pacific.

I agree with your 5 points, eridani. It's coming. It's just about here. I see it starting to suck our unwilling president in, as he continues to try to keep a cool head and advise Americans to not panic and not lose our values (I.e. no stoning of Muslims). And on the GOP side, the drums of war are beating, accompanied by the shrill pipes of "panic the people."

I hope our next president is clear-eyed and able to respond appropriately, is all I can say.