(Defense One) Gen. John Allen (ret.) - If all the actions of the Islamic State, or IS, to date weren't sufficiently reprehensible, the brutal murder of the brave American journalist James Foley and the potential for other similar acts will snap American attention with laser-like focus onto the real danger IS poses to the existence of Iraq, the order of the region and to the homelands of Europe and America. Make no mistake, the abomination of IS is a clear and present danger to the U.S. The U.S. is now firmly in the game and remains the only nation on the planet capable of exerting the kind of strategic leadership, influence and strike capacity to deal with IS. The Islamic State is an entity beyond the pale of humanity and it must be eradicated. If we delay now, we will pay later. The writer, former commander of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, is a distinguished fellow of foreign policy at the Brookings Institution.
2014-08-21 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive