Arab Leaders Agree to Joint Military Force - Isn't this about time?

COL Charles Williams — Sun, 29 Mar 2015 12:18:36 -0400

It is about time...

As I now sit back and watch world events unfold from the sidelines, knowing I am not going back, I have been thinking more and more that none of the problems in the Mid-East region will get better, until the the people that live there decide: (1) enough is enough, and (2) start taking action, (3) start taking the lead, and (4) start taking responsibility for defeating and destroying threats to their region, and all of us.

We can't want it more than them. They have to want safety, security, and the end to violent extremism more than us. Or at least they need enough to take the lead and take the fight to the enemy relentlessly, until they no longer exist, have the will to fight or the ability to regroup. With our support as needed.

There are many scenarios in US history, where we went places with the most noble interests at heart (and I am sure some selfish reasons too), but in the end, things never worked in the long haul because the regions, countries, or governments we were supporting and fighting with/for did not want the same result we wanted, or did not want it as bad a we did. We can't will it for them.

To succeed, there (anywhere) - they need to have a real will (Political, Military, and the People (Clausewitz) ) to achieve their strategic aims, political aims, and war aims.

We need to focus on supporting the fight, not leading every fight.

Time for everyone else in the region to step and deal with this.

http://news.yahoo.com/arab-leaders-agree-joint-military-force-egypts-sisi-102805435.html

Response by CW2 Joseph Evans made Mar 29 at 2015 12:38 PM

CW2 Joseph Evans — Sun, 29 Mar 2015 12:38:02 -0400

If it wasn't for the fact that Saudi Arabia is one of the most extreme and regressive regimes in the area, yet we continue to support them in all things, despite the fact that the majority of the 9/11 conspirators actually held Saudi citizenship rather than Afghan or Iraqi.

Our current situation where we are supporting an Iranian/Kurdish alliance in retaking Iraq from the Islamic State while bombing Iranian backed Shiite in Yemen is purely ridiculous.

Our priorities, need to be better declared and consistent for the theater if we are to re-commit to operations there. We either support global human rights or we are building the American Empire through proxy states, we can not do both and still succeed.

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Mar 29 at 2015 1:01 PM

Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS — Sun, 29 Mar 2015 13:01:20 -0400

"We can't want it more than them. They have to want safety, security, and the end to violent extremism more than us. Or at least they need enough to take the lead and take the fight to the enemy relentlessly, until they no longer exist, have the will to fight or the ability to regroup. With our support as needed."

Sir, this mimics my rants from previous.

The Middle-East is a Regional Stability issue that affects Global Stability. That's why we're there.

But it's "their" problem, not "ours." Like an alcoholic uncle, until he actually wants to fix the problem... there's nothing you can do to help. Once they want to fix the problem, support will work.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 29 at 2015 1:07 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 29 Mar 2015 13:07:34 -0400

I question if this was the intent of he "Lead from behind" from POTUS. We are finally seeing Arab Nations take up arms against Terrorists. We are getting Saudi to counter Iran. I wonder if this was really what was needed. It is a shame that it only took ISIS to unify the Arab Nations to unit. For once the Arab Nations have joined together to do something instead of fighting Israel.

Response by COL Vincent Stoneking made Mar 29 at 2015 1:16 PM

COL Vincent Stoneking — Sun, 29 Mar 2015 13:16:35 -0400

Well stated, Sir!

Response by SPC Elijah J. Henry, MBA made Mar 29 at 2015 1:17 PM

SPC Elijah J. Henry, MBA — Sun, 29 Mar 2015 13:17:58 -0400

Frankly, I think that we are wasting our time trying to create peace in the Middle East. From my understanding of Biblical Eschatology, I believe that there will not be peace there until the Tribulation.
Now, I'm sure I don't have a perfect understanding of everything in the Bible, so I could be wrong, but that's what I think.

If I am wrong, then you're right: it's definitely a step in the right direction.

Response by CSM Michael J. Uhlig made Mar 29 at 2015 1:25 PM

CSM Michael J. Uhlig — Sun, 29 Mar 2015 13:25:25 -0400

I agree it is about time COL Charles Williams, to form a "League of Arab Nations" so they can start taking care of the problems themselves. I believe they've learned (from us) that building a coalition makes it easier on all versus trying to take on a mission unilaterally. I do have a concern of what this might morph into though, and wondering how this might impact Israel down the road.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 29 at 2015 1:51 PM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 29 Mar 2015 13:51:42 -0400

Anything that weakens or preferably destroys ISIS/ISIL, Huthi rebels, Hezbollah, Boko Haram, Al-Qaeda or any of the many terrorist organizations is a good thing for America. Especially if handled by the neighboring countries.

But we are walking a fine line in our support of both Shiite and Sunni ideologies. Which is exactly what one side thinks when we support the other in their actions. There is no clear goal or strategy by this administration. And Iran is making fools of the U. S. just like Putin has in the Ukraine.

I do hope for success by the Arab nations in their defeat against Islamic extremism in their own and neighboring countries.

Response by PV2 Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 29 at 2015 2:19 PM

PV2 Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 29 Mar 2015 14:19:59 -0400

I agree completely COL Charles Williams! You summed it up perfectly!

Response by SPC David S. made Mar 29 at 2015 2:36 PM

SPC David S. — Sun, 29 Mar 2015 14:36:05 -0400

I think they realized that our influence in policy change has lost much of its credibility and is best to leave us out and to fix the problem from within the region. Seriously talks with Iran on Nukes, left a mess in Iraq, supply arms to Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Israel. I think they are done with us and are just as tired of our help as we are of helping them. Good for them in fixing their our problems.

Response by LTC Paul Heinlein made Mar 29 at 2015 7:45 PM

LTC Paul Heinlein — Sun, 29 Mar 2015 19:45:29 -0400

I will get beat up about this, but I've been thinking about this for a while. I will answer the questions with some questions,

1. Does it really make the USA safer to have sizable Armies in the Middle East that could eventually be comparable to ours in capabilities and skill?

2. Is it not better to have them dependent on the USA, since they have such a strategic resource that we need?

3. Once they build up their Military Size, skills, and capabilities...What is to stop them from putting the squeeze on us...put an embargo or sanctions on us... and then what could we do about it?

4. Does it not make more sense (for the USA) to have them dependent on us?

Commence the beating....

Response by SPC Angel Guma made Mar 29 at 2015 9:07 PM

SPC Angel Guma — Sun, 29 Mar 2015 21:07:15 -0400

Sir-

Very respectfully, I would be weary about this. As many of us know, Arabs have a cultural propensity to say one thing, and do another. They often act like this with foreigners knowing that it'll be too late to figure it out until the train wreck happens. Very few elected leaders in either party show any signs of wising up to this or caring. Sure, the Joint Military Force seems like 'about time', but give it time, somehow the US will be suckered into more Middle East blunders, if not in Iraq, than any of the other countries there. Moreover, this kind of duplicity is all but accepted as a fact of life among people there. I think they are only doing this because ISIS has shown too much vigor as an up-start power, and its really only because these dudes can't be shown-up by people they view as inferior life-forms among their own citizens. But give it time, this League will fly off the train tracks long before it leaves the station, and it'll be civil war in Saudi Arabia next.

Of these, the Saudi Royalty is the most worrying, in my opinion. Even silver-spooned Ivy League kids who have never worked a menial job in their lives, and never will, aren't nearly as blue-blooded as the Saudi Royalty. Some of them may have some credit with their military, but woefully too few to maintain a cohesive Army.

Response by PO3 Michael James made Mar 29 at 2015 9:20 PM

PO3 Michael James — Sun, 29 Mar 2015 21:20:40 -0400

COL, Sir: I agree, nicely stated.. Correct me if I am wrong, however, I believe that, this is the way and the reason our forefathers broke from England, and started the United States.. They felt: Enough was Enough, They started to take Action, They took the Lead, and They took total Responsibility for their Actions, we have made mistakes.. but the result is successful world leadership. creative ideas, and one of the worlds powerful Nations, and Bless America..

Response by CSM Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 30 at 2015 2:30 AM

CSM Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 30 Mar 2015 02:30:25 -0400

Definitely looks good on paper and I have been saying it is going to take the "moderate" Muslims to stand up to the "extremist" Muslims to ever have peace.

With that said, I don't see anything drastically changing. As long as there continues to be a sectarian divide in religion, there will be a sectarian divide in people. Sunni/Saudis/ISIS will continue to try and dominate Shia/Iraq/Iran and vice versa. Ethnic cleansing and atrocities will continue to happen on both sides. Sounds to me like the start of a major internal conflict in the Middle East and in my humble opinion, we should stay out of it.

Response by CPT Zachary Brooks made Mar 30 at 2015 10:01 AM

CPT Zachary Brooks — Mon, 30 Mar 2015 10:01:11 -0400

About time, many of them already had porous borders to begin with.

Will this function similarly to the EU? Being loosely affiliated with limited cooperative interaction, or will it be more like how the different states operate within the US?

Either way, I hope Jordan takes point.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 30 at 2015 10:13 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 30 Mar 2015 10:13:28 -0400

There has been a repeat of us helping and training other countries and their soldiers, and then there is a backlash of some sort where we actually have to fight the people we've trained, with them shooting and bombing us with supplies we've given. Maybe I am misunderstanding what this article is trying to say. I don't know how I feel about this.......

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 30 at 2015 1:29 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 30 Mar 2015 13:29:53 -0400

About damn time, huh? I'm really excited that this is happening. I really hope it works! I know that some have gotten so comfortable with the US that they wait until we can do something to help them out. I don't think much help is coming... I would like to think differently, but there is a reason that they have decided to do this and I can't help to wonder if some of the reason is that they think America has slacked a little. That they can't "count" on us anymore.

Response by SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 30 at 2015 3:19 PM

SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 30 Mar 2015 15:19:12 -0400

What an opportunity in today's military clime and place....I will wait to see if they can agree...it's way to early. One step closer to a One World Govt.

Response by PFC Mike Mcdermott made Mar 31 at 2015 11:38 AM

PFC Mike Mcdermott — Tue, 31 Mar 2015 11:38:25 -0400

This can't be a bad idea. Will this be a standing force or a temporary force?

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 31 at 2015 1:51 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 31 Mar 2015 13:51:05 -0400

I hope this agreement will last. I know the entire world wants this to happen. Maybe in their joint effort they will be able to defend themselves without any countries helping. It's a wait and watch game now. I pray it works.

Response by SSgt Randy Saulsberry made Mar 31 at 2015 8:35 PM

SSgt Randy Saulsberry — Tue, 31 Mar 2015 20:35:16 -0400

It's about time, now if we could just get these republicans to stop trying to get us into another war over there and let them police their own.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Apr 11 at 2015 11:12 AM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Sat, 11 Apr 2015 11:12:04 -0400

This is a potential goat screw.