How sure are you of your position re: US taking action against ISIS/ISIL?

[el_bryanto]

I have a hard time knowing what is the best course of action myself; ISIS do seem like bloodthirsty murderers, but I don't know that our intervention will be of any benefit at all. It does seem reading DU that many people, on both sides of the issue, are sure that they are right and sure that the people on the other side of the issue are wrong - morally and intellectually.

Bryant

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	I am 100% sure my position is correct.
	2 (67%)
	I am between 75% and 100% sure my position is correct.
	0 (0%)
	I am between 50% and 75% sure my position is correct.
	0 (0%)
	I am between 25% and 50% sure my position is correct.
	0 (0%)
	I am less than 25% sure that my position is correct.
	1 (33%)
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[Puzzledtraveller]

1. Answering violence with violence

creates more violence.

[el_bryanto]

3. Is that philosophy always applicable in your opinion, or is it more specific to this situation? nt

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

10. I don't know about his opinion,

but I think proclaiming anything except universal constants 'absolute' (ie, always) is a mistake.

Still, I'd say it's highly likely in most situations. In order to avoid violence creating further violence, you either have to A) completely kill everyone on the other side, or who cares about those you kill, B) do it secretly, so that no one knows the violence you did, C) attack a pacifist, D) attack and destroy someone universally reviled, or E) meet some other very specific condition or set of conditions I can't think of off the top of my head.

But there's an awful lot of evidence out there that shows it's a generally reasonable statement.

Abused become abusers, the hurt lash out at people around them, and feuds are handed down from generation to generation.

[Skink]

2. atleaat it isn't a holy war

[cali]

4. Not absolutely sure, but my opinion is rooted in our recent history in the ME

It's been a dismal failure and has led to great destruction and has further destabilized the region. This seems to be a campaign that follows the playbook in Libya and to some extent in Iraq and Afghanistan. We are, by dint of necessity, partnering with countries and people that are, to put it mildly, not reliable or savory allies. Massive bombing seems to have grown the ideology of radical violence rooted in religion and increased the rifts between Sunni and Shia. And even if we do functionally destroy ISIS, what arises out of that vacuum?

[Vattel]

9. I tend to agree.

Perhaps a case could be made that even though the prospects for good political orders to develop in the region is not good, the sooner ISIS is neutralized, the sooner there is at least a small chance of building such an order.

[CJCRANE]

5. We need to stop creating our own problems

(in concert with our allies).

When we eventually stop creating unnecessary problems we'll be able to tackle our own challenges here at home.

[Zorra]

6. After all the lies the government and media have told the American public on order to get

them to support engaging in wars for corporate profit over the past 60 years, I simply don't believe a word they say.

Sad, but true.

So...no more war, and yes, I'm sure.

[pipi_k]

7. Unintended consequences and all that...

I'm never absolutely sure of my position on some things.

[Triana]

8. Mine essentially matches this...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025518921

And this is why I think POTUS response is the right one.

[geek tragedy]

11. I don't know how anyone can have certainty given such a complex

and fluid situation, where there is no good option only a least bad one, with any course of action, including inaction, having far reaching consequences for decades

[Autumn]

12. My position has not changed in 14 years. I held that postition when Bush was

the agressor and I hold the same position while Obama is the President.

There are bloodthirsty murderers in MANY countries and some of those our "friends" that we support. I am not of the opinion that people here on the other side of this issue are wrong, I am of the opinion that I hold the opinion that what Obama proposes to do is morally and intellectually wrong.

[el_bryanto]

13. That's understandable nt

[moondust]

14. Too many variables.

U.S. air strikes have already made a difference as far as controlling the Mosul dam and slowing/halting ISIS' advance. Will likely take a long time and some bad things will probably happen.

Anybody too chicken to watch should crawl under their bed and stay there until it's over.