ISIS: Iraq is under its fist

I know there are many who believe we should not be involved in the uprising in the Middle East. However, after witnessing firsthand efforts of the American military to bring democracy to my homeland, Iraq, I am now observing from afar its devastation at the hands of an even greater evil than the oppressive rule of Saddam Hussein. It seems the attempt to replace the dictatorship with a successful example of democracy only succeeded in creating an empty space, a vacuum to be very quickly filled by a far more dangerous situation. Iraq has quickly gone from dictatorship to radical theocracy.

We were under the impression Iraq was left under a stable interim government protected by a well-trained security force when we pulled out, but the education system and its citizens’ quality of life were left in shambles. Unfortunately, this left the door wide open for radical Islamic recruiting. We must not stand idly by and let the nearly 5,000 souls sacrificed fighting for Operation Iraqi Freedom, be for naught. Let’s take this fight to ISIS before we find them in our own backyard, like so many European nations have.

MICHAEL PAUL

Evangelist

Coeur d’Alene