The Number #1 problem on the desk of President Obama this week is ISIS (or ISIL or Islamic State). With September 11 this week, it gives us even more reason to fear a terrorist attack.
There are no easy choices for dealing with ISIS. In the Middle East a half dozen Muslim countries, including Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Iran hate ISIS. They have well equipped armies and abundant air power, so why don’t they wipe out those blood thirsty heathens? Other than the Kurds, I think these Muslim military men are chicken. They are nothing like our soldiers. The Iraqi soldiers who turned and ran in the face of the ISIS invasion are a prime example. Why would anyone in a perfectly good tank (provided by the US) climb out and run away when faced with a few guys with guns in a pickup truck?
So what is President Obama going to do about ISIS? If you asked the average American, the answer would likely be, “Kill ‘em.” But the President is less direct. He is reluctant to take the role of LEADER in this battle. He does not want to go to war, but somehow wants to reduce ISIS to a “manageable” problem. President Obama says he will announce his strategy for ISIS this week. Some are criticizing him because he won’t make the announcement in the Oval Office. I’m just thankful he’s not speaking from the 19th hole.
Back in 1940, you may remember that Franklin Roosevelt ran for his third term, mainly on the claim that he kept us out of war. We had a small military at the time. But when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor Dec. 7, 1941, FDR did not hesitate. He immediately became pro-war. The current situation makes you wonder: What if Obama had been president in 1941? Would we be speaking Japanese?
On a lighter note, the Ice Bucket Challenge is winding down. I would like to see just one more; there’s a famous statue on the campus of Texas Tech University, of Will Rogers astride his favorite horse. A bunch of students could find a tall ladder and hoist an ice bucket high enough to douse him. Will wouldn’t mind because it’s in memory of one of his favorite baseball players. The folks with the research foundation for ALS, better known as Lou Gehrig disease, raised enough money to keep the research going for several years. I hope the donors are equally generous toward other diseases that destroy the lives of a hundred times as many people.
Historic quotes by Will Rogers: (on Lou Gehrig)
“If Pittsburgh walks Ruth and Gehrig every time, they can beat ‘em.” Oct. 2, 1927, DT #373
“The old radio pays for itself during the World Series.” “Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig chased both (presidential) candidates and all their accomplices right off all the pages again today.” Sept. 28 & 29, 1932 DT #1919 & 1920