Are Obama’s Air Strike Approvals Crippling US Fight Against ISIS?

obama-air-force-one

Based on current reports, the US air strikes may have prevented ISIS from overrunning Kobani though that is still to be decided.

To his credit, Obama exempted the strikes from the collateral damage regs that caused the Taliban to win in Afghanistan, because it was presumably explained to him that there was no point in even bothering otherwise.

That frees up the military to fight to win, instead of fighting to win hearts and minds.

Bringing A-10s and Apaches into the game is riskier and amounts to more direct combat that will have a high risk of costing American lives, but at least does show commitment.

But wars are often lost at the decision making level. And the question is who is running the war. Is it the military or the usual White House mix of staffers?

Kurds had hoped that US airstrikes in Syria would save them. But as of late Tuesday, airstrikes appeared to be too little too late. Some suspect that’s partly because every target must be vetted by lawyers in Washington, a process meant to assure that strikes are legally justified but is nevertheless cumbersome in practice.

That’s from a Boston Globe editorial, not exactly a right wing paper. So how cumbersome is the approval process?

The Wall Street Journal ran a story claiming that Obama would seek approval of every air strike.

The U.S. military campaign against Islamist militants in Syria is being designed to allow President Barack Obama to exert a high degree of personal control, going so far as to require that the military obtain presidential signoff for strikes in Syrian territory, officials said.

The requirements for strikes in Syria against the extremist group Islamic State will be far more stringent than those targeting it in Iraq, at least at first. U.S. officials say it is an attempt to limit the threat the U.S. could be dragged more deeply into the Syrian civil war.

Defense officials said that the strikes in Syria are more likely to look like a targeted counterterrorism campaign than a classic military campaign, in which a combatant commander picks targets within the parameters set by the commander in chief.

In Syria, officials said the administration wants to ensure that any strikes didn’t resemble the “shock-and-awe” campaign that kicked off the 2003 Iraq war and instead be kept more like the low-intensity, occasional strikes conducted in Somalia or Yemen.

An LA Times story mentioned that Obama’s approval was delaying a target list being put into action. Hagel denied the claim that Obama was looking for personal approval of every strike, but it’s still not clear how streamlined the process is.

Charles Krauthammer had commented, saying that, “Lyndon Johnson, who had a lot more experience, was also the one who directed air strikes… and there was universal agreement that it was a catastrophe. And Obama, with zero experience, having now gone against his secretary of defense and generals on Iraq and on Syria — to a disastrous effect — is going to be in charge of the air campaign? That’s really scary stuff.”

ISIS doesn’t need to get approval from Doha or Istanbul for every attack. The military needs to have the freedom to act or we’ll be right back in the Afghanistan quagmire.

  • Pete

    Looks like ISIS is inside Kobani.

    Obama must be staying up all night wringing his hands and agonizing over each missile strike on ISIS.

    Obama’s disapproval – approval gap decreased 3 points in the last week. Perhaps because it looks like he is doing something.

    I hope that in the next week people figure out not elect people who will support the JV team in the White House.

    • Biff Henderson

      Time for Michelle to ready another sign -

      • Pete

        That is hilarious.

        Morbid. Sad, but hilarious.

        … and we have to laugh otherwise we would be so sad we would be cutting ourselves or something.

        … cuz the stupid kids of the class are in charge.

        • Biff Henderson

          I know it’s close to Halloween but can’t they save the Headless Horseman hijinks for the office party?

  • Biff Henderson

    If a trooper from the IDF dug underwear out from the crack of his *** Obama Inc. was all over them yet Obama lifted the US air strikes from the collateral damage regs. POS.

  • molari

    What else would you expect from a man who is a better speechwriter than his speechwriters, knows the Constitution better than Constitutional scholars, knows economics better than economists, is more of an expert in the ins and outs of Middle East political realities (especially Israel’s) than the folks who actually live there, and is a better military strategist than his generals? The man has modestly alluded as much. And even more impressive, he’s done all this having come into the job with no experience at anything in particular save for delivering rousing speeches and campaigning. No wonder the world is healing and the oceans have begun to recede.

    • Bamaguje

      He’s taking the Commander-in-chief thing too seriously.

  • cajunwarthog

    obama has no intention of doing any real harm to ISIS. He wants to drag this out for years. He doesn’t care about America and our servicemen.

  • Gee

    So the minimal level of avoiding civilian casualties is out the window and the US doesn’t care how many women and children they kill.

    But if we allow a Jew to move to the eastern part of Jerusalem the gloves come off.

    • objectivefactsmatter

      Chicago politics on a global scale.

      • Gee

        Was born in Chicago, but left when I was 3 – I think I still vote there every year.

  • Jack

    Wait, wait, the narcissist at large has just ordered 10,000 more ground troops to West Africa to fight Ebola. Meanwhile the airstrikes on ISIS are communicated to ISIS directly, to ensure that no Muslim brother is injured. The narcissist is still playing let’s pretend we care about America’s interests.

    • Pete

      The 1st order was for 3,000
      the 2nd order was for 1,000 more.

      So this is for 10,000 more or an additional 6,000?

      • Jack

        The fictitious figure was put in the comment to emphasis the fact that our military should be fighting ISIS and the CDC should be fighting Ebola. Obama is sending our military to the wrong crisis, further diminishing Americas military capability.

        • Pete

          So much stupid stuff is going on I cannot tell the difference between arguments and b_tches containing hyperbole, conspiracy, and real stuff that should be a nutter theory but is actual policy (like non closure of the border because that is impossible; basically any excuse the CDC head gave).

          Stupid stuff like Obama declaring Somalia as a success, when it was mostly Ethiopia with an assist from Kenya.

    • Pete

      The Pentagon has sent 3 mobile labs to Liberia.

      They are going to be left there. Would we want them back? Would we? Would every surface be free of fomites? They will be gifted to Liberia.

      Back in Washington will the mobile labs be replaced via the budget process? Or will they say “You have to cut a plane or a tank, because he!! no we won”t cut welfare!”

  • camp7

    OMG. Commander barry is calling the shots. So much for golf, the joysticks of battle is even more fun:

    Oh hot damn, this is my jam
    Keep me partying till the A.M
    Yall don’t understand, make me throw my hands
    In the ayer, ay, ayer, ayer, ay, ayer

    Hey this is my jam
    Yall don’t understand
    I’ll make you understand
    What’s pumpin in my CD player
    Party all night like yayer
    Shawty got a hand in the ayer
    Make me want to take it dayer

    Department of Defense: Mr. President, with all due respect, the current ISIS situation warrants immediate and critical measures.

    Obama: Who sayin Val ain’t playin
    I got my hood covered, nuthin undiscovered
    Kerry stomps with the brothers
    Jets fly strike by the rap of my mic
    ISIS be cool except for the fool
    That dis’s my jam too push the psyche
    Shawty got the hand on that bike

    Department of Defense: Mr. President, um, Valerie Jarret is your advisor, could you make a strictly executive decision?

    Obama: Then I go, here I go, here is my song DJ bring it back come in my zone
    I get paid for them couple bonez
    The next wop until the early morn
    I need that crunk when I’m up in tha club

    Department of Defense: O…M…G…

  • Hard Little Machine

    Obama’s intent is to pretend fight this fake conflict until after the elections then stop talking about it in the media and call the planes home. That’s the only direction this is headed.

  • Seniorsquadldr

    Too Late!