For John, BLUF: Obama is now the Dubya third (fourth?) term? Nothing to see here; just move along.
Today President Obama spoke to the UN General Assembly about the fight against ISIL.♠ Here is a quick review from Foreign Policy Magazine, by Mr Colum Lynch. The headline is "Obama to U.N.: OK, America Will Be World's Police". Here is an excerpt:
Obama outlined his four-pronged strategy for eradicating the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL: enlist the international community to help fight and destroy the movement; entice nations to counter the appeal of extremist ideology at home; convince governments to provide alternatives, particularly for young people, and offer better education and greater political freedom; and address the wider regional threat posed by worsening sectarian conflict between the region's Sunnis and Shiites. "Let's be clear: This is a fight that no one is winning," he said.I like what the President said, but I am not sure everyone [in the Middle East] is interested in greater political freedom. Some seem to be interested in their eternal salvation, which they see tied up in how they live their Islamic Faith—or what they see as their Islamic Faith. For ISIL this is the faith that our Secretary of State, John Kerry, characterizes as "The Order of Satan". Frankly, this is the key issue and one that can not be resolved by us. The People of the Middle East have to decide where they come down on this issue. The danger is that millions will go along to get along.♥
Regards — Cliff
♠ No, George, it is not a sign of being aligned with President Obama and the Democrat Team in DC to say ISIL. It is a matter of using a better translation rather than clinging to some original understanding.
♥ There is Mao's view that "Political [religious] power grows out of the barrel of a gun."
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