Our new Vietnam?

"On 21 September 2015 the Pentagon authorized US CENTCOM to begin cross-border operations within Northern Iraq and the area bordering Eastern Syria.  CENTCOM had sought authority for such missions since ISIS proclaimed itself a worldwide caliphate on 29 June 2014.  CENTCOM had been looking to put boots on the ground reconnaissance role to observe, first hand, the enemy logistical system and conduct limited operations. Troop strength was nearly doubled from 2,700 in late February 2014 to almost 5,000 by the time operations began. CENTCOM through CENTAF had been given authority to conduct air operations, including bombardment of supply lines, since late in 2014.  U.S. troops were necessary and CENTCOM was given the green light. In November the first American-led insertion was launched into Al Hasakah in eastern Syria and Mosul in northeastern Iraq.  The mission was deemed a success, but the operations in Syria were fraught with peril, and not just from the enemy. Robert Stephen Ford, U.S. ambassador to Syria, was determined that he would remain in control over decisions and operations."

The above is total fiction but it rings eerily true.  Perhaps because the sequence of events actually occurred 50 years ago in Vietnam.  I merely substituted "CENTCOM" for "MAC-V SOG" and "Syria" for "Laos" and "ISIS" for "Vietcong".  The situation with Daesh is too similar to the early years of Vietnam.  Democrats controlled the White House in both cases.  The military had been drawdown after WWII much like it has today.  Special forces were the preferred method of attack back then whereas we tend to rely on drones more today but regardless, the level of accountability remains classified and cloaked in the "black ops" world.  Our increasing military presence in Laos attracted the attention of the Soviet Union, much as we knew find Russian troops increasing their activities in Ukraine.  Russian military aircraft are much more active along NATO and US airspace as well.

The new SecDef and Chairman for the JCS have been calling for more boots on the ground to fight Daesh.  Mr. Obama seems more concerned with stifling Netanyahu and brokering some kind of deal with Iran.  Daesh is upping its level of violence turning first to beheading prisoners on video to then burning them alive to now out and out massacres of hostages.  Boko Haram has gone off the radar scope as far as Western media is concerned yet their violence and blustering now rivals Daesh.

The newly elected Republicans, led by the ever-tan Boehner, have lost any credibility that they will keep the White House in check.  DHS funding has now been approved as a result of the increased violence shown by Daesh but one has to ask, is DHS even designed correctly for defeating a threat such as Daesh?  Another trespasser was able to jump the fence at the White House, where the hell is the Secret Service?!  The rest of the DHS is wrestling with immigration to worry about an overseas threat.

Certainly not the State Department.  Kerry has yet to broker one deal and continues to be at the wrong place at the wrong time.  He allows that elitist twit Marie Harf to have a job.  He let his boss poke the Israeli Prime Minister in the eye.  He has all but forgotten about China and has let Putin him beat him to the punch in India.

The problem with the digital age is we tend to think things happen immediately.  That speed is an illusion, things still happen as they've always happened.  We've just to amped up now to perceive it.