Bush calls for US ground forces to fight Islamic State

[webfact]

Bush calls for US ground forces to fight Islamic State
By THOMAS BEAUMONT

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush on Wednesday called for the U.S. to send more troops to the Middle East to fight the Islamic State group.

"This is the war of our time," the former Florida governor said at the Citadel five days after Islamic State militants attacked Paris and killed at least 129 people.

"Radical Islamic terrorists have declared war on the Western world. Their aim is our total destruction. We can't withdraw from this threat, or negotiate with it. We have but one choice: to defeat it."

Bush had planned for weeks to deliver a speech about Pentagon and military purchasing reform at the prestigious South Carolina military college. But the horrific events in France Friday moved Bush, who has supported the potential deployment of troops in Iraq and Syria, to call for ground troops.

"The United States, in conjunction with our NATO allies and more Arab partners, will need to increase our presence on the ground," he added, calling air power insufficient.

He offered no specifics, but said the number of Americans sent to the region should be "in line with what our military generals recommend, not politicians."

The speech came as European nations hunted for conspirators in the attack and amid a fierce political debate within the U.S. over whether to limit or halt the resettlement of refugees fleeing war-ravaged Syria. One of the Paris bombers was thought to have arrived in a wave of migrants surging toward the West, but a top German official later said the Syrian passport found at a Paris attack scene was likely a fake.

The Paris attack has put national security atop the conversation in the 2016 presidential race. Democratic front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton, a former senator and secretary of state, was expected on Thursday to deliver her own prescription for defeating ISIS and fighting jihadis.

Bush, the brother and son of presidents, has projected himself as a potential commander in chief able to handle such challenges. But his focus on national security has increased as his own campaign for the presidential nomination has struggled to gain traction, and especially since the Paris attacks.

"The brutal savagery is a reminder of what is at stake in this election," Bush said. "We are choosing the leader of the free world. And if these attacks remind us of anything, it's that we are living in serious times that require serious leadership."

It's no mystery why Bush made the speech in South Carolina. Many of the Republican primary voters in the early voting Southern primary state are retired and active-duty military.

Bush is not the only Republican presidential candidate who supports sending ground troops to fight the Islamic State. South Carolina's own senior Sen. Lindsey Graham has been an aggressive advocate. Ohio Gov. John Kasich has also suggested sending U.S. troops. Florida Sen. Marco Rubio was generally supportive of President Obama's decision to put 50 special operations troops in Syria, and has suggested the number ought to grow. However, he hasn't called for a larger scale mobilization.

Bush has long faulted President Barack Obama's administration and Clinton for allowing wholesale federal spending cuts prompted by the 2013 budget reconciliation after Congress and the president were unable to craft more strategic cuts.

The cuts affected military and non-military spending alike, at a time when conflicts in Syria and Iraq "spiraled out of control," Bush said.

And while Bush has often referred to the Islamic State as an unconventional threat, his prescription for the military includes heavier spending on its conventional elements.

He called for doubling the U.S. Marine Corps' battle-ready strength to 186,000, and updating the U.S. nuclear weapons capacity.

Bush also proposed increasing production of next-generation stealth bombers, which can cost roughly $150 million apiece. Bush did not suggest a way to pay for the buildup.


-- (c) Associated Press 2015-11-19

[Usernames]

Nope. Trump is right. Let the Russians do it.

[Rancid]

Is he planning on going over and fearlessly leading the troops into battle?

[Credo]

Oh, goodness, he's been taking advice from his brother again.

[oxo1947]

"Mission accomplished --The war is over"...............Oh sorry wrong brother..................

Edited November 19, 2015 by oxo1947

[rocketman777]

No surprise here after all Bush Senior started this all of in the first place. With the Bush family and their cohorts special interest in the Military Industrial complex, more war means more profits.

[Emster23]

No surprise here after all Bush Senior started this all of in the first place. With the Bush family and their cohorts special interest in the Military Industrial complex, more war means more profits.

I would say Bush the elder actually had it right by not throwing Saddam out. Better the devil you know idea. Perhaps you are meaning Bush 2.0?

[Buckwheat Flour]

Why state the obvious before things get worse and the Ostrich mentality finally fades?

[elgordo38]

Is he planning on going over and fearlessly leading the troops into battle?

He already has his aircraft carrier picked out The Ronald Reagan and his flight suit and a banner saying "I told you so" Quote "This is the war of our time," the former Florida governor said. No it is not the war of our time it is the war of his brothers time. He sure has big ones to comment on this. A sure sign of desperation. Maybe his handlers/welfare givers the Koch Bros. who paid for him body and soul told him to kick it up a notch.

Edited November 19, 2015 by elgordo38

[elgordo38]

No surprise here after all Bush Senior started this all of in the first place. With the Bush family and their cohorts special interest in the Military Industrial complex, more war means more profits.

All started by Prescott Bush the used tire salesman. His father-in-law felt sorry for him and promoted him to a job with Brown Brothers Harriman.

[wabothai]

Any Bush should shut up on this one.

[smudger1951]

The trouble is I heard that airstrikes are just pounding sand. The troops are out and best stay out now. There is no end to this multilayered conflict.

[Broeno]

It's all in the family.

Wonders me that his brother still can walk around as a free man after sending so many people in to their dead and destroid so many countrys.

[Andaman Al]

Well, I guess it helps the family friends who have just been round to the ranch for a BBQ. Cheney, Rumsfeld, Dad, Bro, maybe they are all running short of cash, they are below 12 figures !!

Sorry for the American Military folks (and all coalition the same principle) who are sent to fight for God, Country, Corps! Nope, it is just dollars for the war criminals!! God bless you folks, and may Satan take those that we all know it should be coming to!

Edited November 19, 2015 by Andaman Al

[DogNo1]

Jeb! should go and lead an infantry squad. He should put his boots where his mouth is. Age no problem. An exception can be made for him. He can join up with the five moderate Syrians that our $500,000,000 bought. Has anybody investigated where that money went? Does anybody care?

[hugh2121]

Too late methinks. They have already infiltrated western countries.

[CharlieH]

Its understandable that feeling and emotions are running high.

PLEASE do not make posts advocating genocide, mass murder, or any other such "over the top" emotional or extremist rants.

They will simply be removed and if persistent you may receive a warning and possibly suspension.

Thank you for your co-operation.

[samran]

The defense industry now know who to send their donation cheques to...

[Buckwheat Flour]

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/bush-boots-on-the-ground-work-with-putin-to-defeat-isis/article/2576429

Bush also hinted the US should consider coordinating with Russia to defeat ISIS. However, he's still off the mark to suggest more coordination between the US and Europe. With the pussification of Europe and US, NATO would never survive a dirty fight. If the US military took them on, they'd be bound by too many rules of engagement. Obviously US boots on the ground is a non-starter (even if they could afford to pay for it). Any notion of the Europeans engaging in real fight is fantasy.

Conclusion: The Kurds can whip ISIS in a dirty fight, but the Turks would probably side with ISIS and stop them dead. Let the Russians take care of it. Putin 2016!!!

[h90]

The trouble is I heard that airstrikes are just pounding sand. The troops are out and best stay out now. There is no end to this multilayered conflict.

but the weapons they drop always find their way to ISIS.....They could just put some bombs into the next weapon container they drop.