OPINION_ Guest Commentary: Islamic State is biggest threat since World War II

THE DENVER POST

OPINION

Guest Commentary: Islamic State is biggest threat since World War II

By James H. Davis
Posted: 05/19/2015 05:00:00 PM MDT

Photo: A Syrian flag flies over the capital, Damascus, Syria. U.S. commandos mounted a rare raid into eastern Syria overnight, killing a senior Islamic State commander in a firefight, capturing his wife and rescuing a Yazidi woman held as a slave, the Pentagon said on May 16. (AP file photo)

The attack by the U.S. Army Combat Applications Group last weekend on the compound of Abu Sayyaf in Syria represents an enormous step in the right direction by this administration in addressing the very real threat posed by the Islamic State.

In the dead of night, U.S. commandos conducted what was, by all accounts, a textbook military operation that resulted in the killing of a top Islamic State commander and over a dozen of his security detail and, at the same time, capturing his wife, Umm Sayyaf. The world and the leaders of the Islamic State should see this operation as evidence that the United States will not be content with providing air support for an Arab coalition that will deal with the Islamic State on the ground.

It is about time.

The Islamic State represents a significant threat to the security of the United States, perhaps the most significant threat since World War II. The wars we have fought in the last 70 years have been over ideology. With the exception of Afghanistan, with al-Qaeda operating freely there prior to 2002, we have not faced an enemy with sovereignty and a stated intent, backed up by overt action, to do damage to our country and our citizens.

Americans need to understand that the Islamic State intends to bring about a worldwide jihad. On May 14, the media office of the Islamic State released an audiotape, purported to be a speech by Abu Bakr al Baghdadi, its self-proclaimed Caliph and leader. In his hate-filled tirade, Baghdadi reiterated his demand that every Muslim join his group and carry on the fight against "infidels," wherever they are. It is the intent of al Baghdadi and the Islamic State to bring about a global "holy war" that will ultimately end in apocalypse.

In addition and, perhaps, more alarming is the capability of the Islamic State to lure Western youth through their mastery of social media. Virtually every week, it seems, we hear of more teenagers and young adults attempting travel to Syria to join the Islamic State. Further, it has claimed responsibility for the thwarted terrorist attack in Garland, Texas, in early May. Its claim of direct responsibility may be overstated, but it is clear that the two attackers were motivated by Islamic State propaganda distributed on social media.

Lacking swift and decisive action on the part of our government, the Islamic State will remain free to preach hate, practice atrocities and radicalize our disaffected youth.

It will not suffice for us to stand by and expect Arab states to eliminate the threat, even with air support from the United States. The Iraqis have shown, time and again, that they cannot be counted on to drive the Islamic State from their own land. The loss of Ramadi last weekend to Islamic State fighters puts Baghdad at risk again and further highlights their inability to deal with the threat.

Other Arab states have contributed air strikes but shown little stomach to commit ground resources where they are most needed and deal debilitating strikes to the heart of the Islamic State. And, even if they do commit ground forces, modern history has shown that they have never had consistent success in protracted ground engagements. Just ask the Israelis.

While it may be true that we are a nation tired of war, the flip side is that 14 years of combat have honed our fighting skills to the point that our armed forces, already the best equipped, are now the most highly trained, experienced and effective fighters on the planet. The Islamic State must know that we have both the ability and resolve to take this fight to them directly, in the places that they felt most secure.

The administration's actions in eliminating Abu Sayyaf should have the desired impact on Islamic State leadership. They should know that the United States will not tolerate their atrocities, their extremist ideology or their attempts to radicalize our youth.

James H. Davis is a principal in Public Safety Ventures, LLC, a Longmont- based venture capital firm focused on public safety technology. He retired, after 26 years, from the FBI in 2011 as special agent in charge of the Denver division.

To send a letter to the editor about this article, submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by e-mail or mail.


_________

What do YOU think?


Chân thành cám ơn Quý Anh Chị ghé thăm "conbenho Nguyễn Hoài Trang Blog".
Xin được lắng nghe ý kiến chia sẻ của Quý Anh Chị trực tiếp tại Diễn Đàn Paltalk: 1Latdo Tapdoan Vietgian CSVN Phanquoc Bannuoc . 
Kính chúc Sức Khỏe Quý Anh Chị . 



conbenho
Tiểu Muội quantu
Nguyễn Hoài Trang
20052015
___________
Cộng sản Việt Nam là TỘI ÁC
Bao che, dung dưỡng TỘI ÁC là ĐỒNG LÕA với TỘI ÁC