Coalition building not easy for U.S. - Associated Press

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 13 Sep 2014 23:01:06 -0400

Well it seems like assembling the coalition is proving to be a complicated affair. France is in but wants to invite Iran, against U.S. wishes. And we are pressing Turkey, which has resisted publicly endorsing the global strategy because the extremist are holding 49 Turkish hostages.

I was under the impression that Secretary of State John Kerry had countries committed to add ground forces. Although 40 countries have offered various levels of support. Kerry has refused to say how the global campaign would succeed. And who exactly is committing military forces.

Response by Cpl Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 15 at 2014 1:20 AM

Cpl Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 15 Sep 2014 01:20:47 -0400

You seem surprised by this revelation...

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Sep 15 at 2014 2:13 AM

SFC Mark Merino — Mon, 15 Sep 2014 02:13:44 -0400

Nothing that is truly worth doing is ever easy. In the address I watched, he said "other" nations were willing to commit their ground forces. They will be meeting in Paris to hammer out some more details. I only caught bits and pieces of the address MSgt Private RallyPoint Member One of the show stoppers was that some countries wanted Syrian air forces to participate and he said hells to the no!

Response by SFC(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 15 at 2014 2:41 AM

SFC(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 15 Sep 2014 02:41:25 -0400

In light of the execution from over the weekend, the UK has pledged their assistance, and they said that they had already been assisting in the effort. Australia, has also joined the fray. Syria, has also asked that we commit bombings of the ISIS/ISIL compounds that are within their borders. MSgt Private RallyPoint Member, I understand your frustration, as I watched UK's PM give his speech last night, part of me thought he was going to commit to sending in ground troops. They say that the countries are war-weary, and that they are over 13 years of war. That is just from the civilian side of the house, not to mention what the military feels. While I know of several people who would go back there, and feel as though everything that they did while they were there is now for naught, I do not think that we can afford to go at this the way that we have gone in before. Although, I do not agree with using the "Moderate Syrian Rebels" as the ground force, since they are an unknown variable for the most part. I also do not want to see anymore of my Brothers and Sisters in Arms lose their lives. I think that it is a really sticky situation, and there are only a few recourses that I can see that would make any country send troops into the region as a combat force. I think that without there being an attack on someone's homeland, we will continue with this approach, until we all feel that ISIS/ISIL has been "handled" and we can get on with our live. We will learn from the mistakes of OIF/OEF and not send boots in for an extended ground war, where we can not win. You can not beat an Ideology, you can only make it stronger. The more memebers of this terrorist group that we destroy the more that they will be able to recruit. If we were to put boots on the ground there that would only help their cause that much more, with them being able to say that the "Great Satan has come to invade their land again."

That's just my opinion

Response by SFC William Swartz Jr made Sep 15 at 2014 8:35 AM

SFC William Swartz Jr — Mon, 15 Sep 2014 08:35:35 -0400

Since we have proven to be incapable or unwilling to back our words with deeds over the past few years, it's no wonder not many want to form a coalition with us......

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 15 at 2014 8:36 AM

SCPO Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 15 Sep 2014 08:36:00 -0400

I heard on the TV this morning that Jordan was willing to put boots on ground in Syria to go after ISIS

Response by SGT Ben Keen made Sep 15 at 2014 8:38 AM

SGT Ben Keen — Mon, 15 Sep 2014 08:38:36 -0400

Building a coalition is like trying to friends to help you move. At first everyone is says "Sure just let me know" but when the moving van is outside they all of sudden have plans or some old high school sports injury is acting up.