Obama's slow motion war against ISIL

Amir Taheri:
...
The first signal, according to Iraqis, came when Washington refused to change the rules under which Iraqi forces can call for US airstrikes in support of a ground operation.

Under President Obama’s orders, such “calls” must be cleared with Washington — presumably with the White House itself.

The president has also rejected an Iraqi request to have US military technicians and logistical experts present in “theaters” where battles are under way.

Obama’s demand that the Congress give him three years to pursue an extremely limited campaign against IS reinforces that impression. One Iraqi commander tells me Obama’s approach amounts to “slow-motion warfare.”

The authorization he has demanded from Congress will guarantee IS at least three more years as a main player, while tying the hands of the next US president so that he or she can’t really go after the terrorist outfit.
...
Turning bombing decisions over to Susan Rice or Obama is a recipe for failure.  Neither has the competence to make such a  decision which should be made by the troops and commanders on the ground.  It looks like Obama is trying to manage the war and drag it out until he is gone rather than trying to defeat the enemy.

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