So the United States is going all alone in these airstrikes. Anyone surprised?

[SummerSnow]

[MohRokTah]

1. Link? eom

[cali]

6. So far, I believe France is the only country that has said it may help with bombing missions

in Syria. It does look like the U.S. will be pretty much going it alone on the bombing part of this war against ISIS.

Summary of international reaction:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025520582

[spanone]

12. so we are not going it alone.

[cali]

16. we're pretty much going it alone on the bombing/training

it's a shell of a coalition as pertains to the military piece.

[leftstreet]

2. Well, the Brits shut Obama and Kerry down last time

Whaddya gonna do?

[merrily]

3. The coalition of the willing.

[underpants]

4. Euro allies are just leery of air strikes in Syria from what I have seen

[liberal_at_heart]

7. The UK is more gun shy after Iraq where as we are still just as trigger happy as ever.

[morningfog]

8. But none are striking in Iraq either.

The support of the rest of the coalition will be financial and through supply arms and maybe training. US will be the sole bomber in Iraq and Syria most likely.

[DustyJoe]

15. possible reason for being leery

could cause a lot of second thoughts

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/dec/23/syria-crisis-russian-military-presence

.

US Airpower in the past has relied on massive anti-SAM radar strikes before any bombing campaign. Otherwise the bombing campaign has to contend with large air defense reaction. So, if the missile sites are Russian manned and the anti-radar missiles start killing russian military "advisors", the russian response could be an all out air war which Euro powers understandably do not want any part of.

Just a thought why they would be so leery.

[geek tragedy]

5. If we're the only ones in the air, that's fine with me.

Much better the only one flying than part of a big coalition fighting on the ground.

[morningfog]

9. Who is going ot make up the big coalition on the ground?

Iraq's army and the FSA?

[Autumn]

10. I think that some nations, but certainly not ours have a real problem with

military strikes on a sovereign nation. I think that shows which nations have a.. shall we say a bit of humanity and a critical thinking process.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

11. We must "pick up the white man's burden" as we did when the Phillipines was the threat.

As Kipling said at the time.

[malaise]

21. The thing is that no rational folks even believe this crap anymore

Listening to the spewing of beatitudes last night, I had a hard time believing that Obama believed that crap about American goodness and values. ISIS. ISIL or whatever the hell they're calling it today evolved from the illegal American invasion and occupation of Iraq.

[HuckleB]

13. "If everyone believed in Peace the way they say they do, we’d have Peace." -GSH

If everyone believed in Peace the way they say they do, we’d have Peace.
The only thing wrong with Peace, is that you can’t make no money from it.
—Gil Scott-Heron 1949-2011

The key word is "everyone."

[dixiegrrrrl]

14. Not from what I have read:

In a joint communique after a day of talks in Saudi Arabia, the US, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and 6 Gulf Arab states say they have agreed to join a coordinated military campaign against Islamic State militants who have seized parts of Iraq and Syria - @Reuters

[cali]

18. Lebanon's military is very, very weak. Iraq? ISIS has been successful against the Iraqi military

Turkey- and the President has said that they're vital- has backed away from all but humanitarian aid. The Gulf States? What military ability do they wield that could be utilized? This is a very weak coalition.

[Laelth]

17. I am, in fact.

It's cowardice in Europe that's forcing us to go it alone. They're much more afraid of their doves in Europe than we are of ours in the United States. All the same, I support the President's position on this, as I explained HERE.

-Laelth

[Kaleva]

19. "France Ready to Participate in Iraq Airstrikes"

"France has said it would join a U.S.-led coalition in Iraq and is sending arms to Kurdish authorities to fight the militants. The French president and foreign minister are going to Iraq on Friday and hosting an international conference Monday on how to stop the group and help Iraq.

Fabius said in a speech in Paris that “we will participate, if necessary, in military air action” in Iraq, according to a text provided by the French Foreign Ministry."

http://time.com/3318892/france-ready-to-participate-in-iraq-airstrikes/

[Glitterati]

20. Not one bit surprised. American torture under Bush burned every bridge

the US is poison to other countries thanks to Bush and Cheney.

Why would this surprise anyone?