Soldiers with the 101st Airborne Division run to UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters after conducting a search for weapons caches in Albu Issa, Iraq. DoD photo by Spc. Luke Thornberry
What Could US Boots On The Ground Do In Iraq And Syria? -- Brian Jenkins, Defense One
“These boots are made for walking, and that’s just what they’ll do. One of these days these boots are gonna walk all over you.” Nancy Sinatra’s 1966 hit song, “These Boots Are Made for Walking,” became wildly popular with GIs during the Vietnam War, where the lyrics took on a more bellicose meaning.
In discussions of America’s current conflict with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL)—which, like the Vietnam conflict, Washington does not consider an official war—a phrase heard frequently is “boots on the ground.” It is a direct challenge to those who believe wars can be won by airpower alone. Critics of the current air campaign in Iraq and Syria argue that boots on the ground—the physical presence of soldiers on the battlefield—is a prerequisite to military success. But how many?
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My Comment: A sobering analysis on what U.S. boots on the ground in Iraq and Syria could do .... read it all.
1 comment:
The US military could achieve the defeat of ISIS, Iran, or any other threat in the area, if and this is a big one, if that was the stated mission and they were supported politically and nationally in that mission. Unless these goals are stated and supported clearly, it will be a nasty bloody drug out inconclusive involvement. The statement by the US that ISIS has tactical momentum and we have strategic momentum is a fairy tale. If you don't have a clear strategic goal then the other side by default does.
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