Sunday, September 28, 2014

Debate: US Re-engage Military Against ISIS versus Let Middle East Countries Deal With It

This week our public speaking assignment will be about the debate behind whether or not the United States should militarily re-engage against an Islamic extremist group, ISIS / ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and Syria / Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant). From the perspective of large conventional forces, the United States is now out of Iraq and Afghanistan with the exception of US military advisers training their military.  Some say that in order for Islamic Extremists to be successful they need Western infidels to remain in the Middle East as motivation for recruiting young Muslims to continue to fight against the West. Despite the immorality of the act, but was the beheading of the Western reporters a dramatic ploy to draw the US forces back into fighting in the Middle East? What do you think?  

Perspective on Why the US Should Not Get Directly Involved

ISIS is not the US's Fight

War on ISIS will backfire on West


Perspective on Why the US Should Get Directly Involved





Classroom Activity: The class will be divided into 2 groups assigned by the teacher. One group will debate for US intervention against ISIS and the other group will debate against US intervention. You will conduct your research today, complete your homework (see below) and you will form and prepare debating groups on Tuesday and then debate in class on Wednesday.  

Homework: Your homework tonight (Monday) is to read the two articles and watch the two videos to prepare for the debate. Tonight, you will add a comment and include your first name and the class period you are in with your homework comment. In your comment (short response) on the blog, tell me whether you agree or disagree with US's intervention in the Middle East against ISIS and why

38 comments:

  1. Michael per 6.
    I do believe that the U.S. Should get more involved in the Isis situation. If we do not contain and eliminate this threat while it is the middle east, it will come over seas to the homeland and more civilians will die on account on the U.S. Government not doing the right thing to control it.

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  2. Bullock Period 6,
    I do not believe that the US should get involved with ISIS in the middle east for the simple fact that we pulled troops for the middle east not too long ago, and our economy is bouncing back from the recent recession. The middle eastern countries should ban together and fight ISIS if they cant then I would condone the US sending troops back into the middle east.

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    Replies
    1. Interesting comment and good logic path for your reasoning. You hit on economy, military, and diplomacy all in your comment.

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  3. Mechail Velmani
    I think that US should get involved because lot of civilians are being harmed and killed
    and Isis are evil so if we don't stop them they will attack us before they attack we should stop them.

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    Replies
    1. It does seem that as one of the most powerful countries in the world we have a moral obligation to do something, the question is exactly what and to what extent. Do we totally take charge or do we help other countries learn how to counter ISIS?

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  4. Brendan Period Four

    While there are certainly drawbacks to intervention with ISIS, intervention is necessary for the safety of Americans, and to help religious minorities in the region. ISIS has publicly stated that its goal is to spread their version of Islam worldwide. While this goal will never be reached ISIS has already forced religious minorities in Iraq and Syria to either convert to Islam or face execution. This needs to be stopped and the US and it's allies are the only countries capable of doing so. We have seen Iraq's army fall and Syria is already in chaos, they cannot police their own countries. ISIS also attempts to get westerners to carry out "lone wolf" attacks against America and other western nations. As seen at the Boston marathon it takes limited resources and personnel to carry out these attacks. For these two reasons it is necessary for the US to intervene. Intervention should be limited to coalition airstrikes and supporting Kurdistan's fighters. This is the most cost effective strategy and will keep Americans from being endangered. If the US does not lead this coalition it is likely no one else will.

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  5. Sianna Period 2
    The US should just keep to themselves on this one. Yes, there are many innocent civilians getting hurt, but the immediate crisis of why the US wanted to get involved has been taken care of anyway, no point in fighting a war when only a problem needs to me managed.

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    Replies
    1. I like how you infer, the US should look at each situation and analyze it to determine our response vice just react. I also agree with your comment about determining do we "go to war" or do we try to more selectively manage (contain) the problem instead.

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  6. Elias period 6,
    I believe that the U.S. should get involved in the fight with ISIS as opposed to continuously training the Iraqi military who obviously do not have any control over the terrorist group despite the amount of time and money we have spent training them.

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    Replies
    1. Interesting, as opposed to reinforcing a failed strategy (continuing to teach & support Iraqi military to fight), we should deal with the threat more directly ourselves. In the short term it would be more effective and efficient, but since we don't wan't to stay there (Iraq or Syria) for a long time, would that be counterproductive.

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  7. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  8. Luis ochoa period 2,
    I think the USA should get involved with ISIS because they have captured two of our American and executed by cutting off their heads.Isis are killing innocent people and bombing their homes.if we don't stop Isis Isis may take over more countries and grow faster and become super powers.that's why I believe the USA should go to war with ISIS

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  9. Rene period 2
    I believe the U.S. should not get involved because the conflict is too expensive, the taxpayers pay 312,500 dollars an hour which could be used to improve the education system or pay the national debt.

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  10. Jake Yonkers period 2
    i think that the us should not get involved because it is very expensive. its costing money that could be used elsewhere. i think that the us should get involved when we are affected directly in a big way.

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  11. Trevor Period 6
    I think that the Untied States should not get involved. We all know what ISIS has done in the Middle East and it needs to stop. But we did our time in the Middle East. The only way we should be involved is training the forces that are present in the certain areas. The United States has lost enough men and women over the past 10 years and we do not have enough money like we used to. Like we discussed in class, ISIS's plan is to bring us out and bleed us dry. If we bleed out dry, we are done. They would beat us in a whole different way.

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  12. Joseph Period 4
    I think the US should not get involved with ISIS. The US just got out of Iraq and Afghanistan which costed lots of money. If we get involved, it will cost millions, which the US could use for domestic purposes.

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  13. Michelle period 6
    I think U.S should not get involved we should learn from our past experiences with middle eastern . This is just a problem that should be managed not a war . We've already been burned trying to solve the Rubik's Cube of the Middle East. Also, it is a cost not just money wise but human wise as well ; we already lost so many of our soldiers when we were at Afghanistan. U.s getting involved will just cause more money being spent and lives being risked.

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  14. Kevin Martinez Period 6
    I think that the US should only get involved in showing the Iraqi military to strike ISIS and destroy them. If the US fights once more in the middle east then that means a mass amount of American lives will be lost once more. Americas men and women have already done their part fighting in the middle east now its time for the Iraqi military to do theirs and learn to fight against terrorism that mostly concerns their part of the world.

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  15. Nicole Period 6

    Without involvement the United States would be more vulnerable to terrorist attacks. Yes I know that that is exactly what terrorist groups want us to think, and that they want us to be involved so that we can spend more money and effort to try to stop them. But like you said Colonel, there will always be another terrorist group. Without our involvement, the US will look weak and unable to try to stop terrorist attacks. We want to look big and threatening. We also can't just kill people off, just cause they threatened to kill our citizens.

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  16. Arian period 7 (sorry for any spelling errors)

    This is a very difficult decision. Simply because so many factors are on the line. The morality and integrity of America, and simply the coast alone is more than one category. I am really on the fence about the issue.

    For morality it seems like based on our high morals that we should quickly become involved and right the wrongs. And some world say if America stays out of it we will appear weak. We will seem like cowards and thus making the young men run to them to prove strength. But the problem is simply the coast we can't afford a war right now. War is funded by the peoples taxes, and no one wants another tax raise. And while some may enthusiastically say let's get the terrorists, do we have the funding....? No of course we don't. I can't say I'm for or against it. Its in the governments hands.

    Another thing is they need to figure this out for themselves. We can't hold their hand forever and guide them down the right path, if we offer intensive aid now, what happens later on when we take it away? Just food for thought.

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  17. Jusitn Folston Period 4
    I personally think that America should get involved militarily because we aren't just fighting someone who will fight get scared and just leave us alone, we are fighting a extremist group that won't give up and will keep fighting for whats right or until they complete what they need to do. When President Obama took the troops out of Iraq it was a little too early, plus if we don't stay and fight we America will also be under attack. Even though theres already been a few attacks like a female being beheaded at work for not converting to muslim.

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  18. Thomas Period 7
    I think we should get involved with ISIS. They said they will NOT STOP until the black flag is flown over the white house. They are getting bigger and badder everyday and they are very heavily funded and keep growing. If we don't bring the fight to them, they will bring it to us. No amount of money can replace an American we will loose in the US by ISIS. The same amount of money we will spend there, we will spend here fighting on our home turf. Yes, right now they do not have the ability to launch a major war on the US, but eventually they will. The last thing we want is a war in the US, so we need to bring the fight to them. It is insane to think that if we arm and train some rebels and the ANA that they will fight off ISIS. They couldn't even fight against the Taliban and the Taliban stepped aside and didn't want to mess with ISIS, so the ANA and some rebels will not fight them off. Let's bring the fight to them, before they bring it to us.

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  19. Angelique Period 2
    I believe the US should not be involved in ISIS. First of all, the fight will solve nothing, just more dead people, I think we should be doing something about the terrorism, but not in a physical manner. Also, the prices for $1 million bombs is useless, we could be using than money for better reasons than bombing a country

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  20. Dillon Period 6
    Personally I believe that we should not put boots on the ground quite yet untill we see what more isis/isil has in store. If they make more targeted attacks to U.S. property in other countries then depending on tge severity of the attacks we would send send troops. But on the contrary I believe we should continue to drop bombs to shake them up a bit and weaken isis/isil if possible.

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  21. Nico Gonzalez
    Period 4

    In my opinion we should not get inn involved with ISIS becuase not afford to fall into a bigger debt than we already are

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  22. I believe that the United States should make an effort in combatting the threat of ISIS, but only on a small scale. We should continue the use of precise, strategic bombings on confirmed histile targets but take it no further than that. At this point and time there is no need to mobalize and deploy a ground force to aid in the defeat of these extremists.

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  23. Amahd Period 6
    I do not agree with the U.S intervention in the Middle East against ISIS because I think we're always too involved in foreign affairs. I believe we should just simply keep an eye on ISIS instead of entering with force and proceed to bomb and fight the terrorist. I believe it would be a lot less stress on Americans and probably the military of we were not constantly in the Middle East searching for reasons to fight this group of terrorist.

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  24. Helmuth Iraheta Jr.
    Period 04

    Honestly I disagree with the altercations that the United States is in with ISIS. I understand what they did was wrong but I believe ISIS is trying to just get us mentally off task. The U.S. role should be limited to helping Kurdish forces and the new Baghdad government better organize to keep the pressure on, with U.S. bombing them, must make it easier. The point is that Iraqs fight is not our fight. After more than a decade of frustration and humiliation, the United States should have learned that the Middle East is no place for us.

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  25. Preet Singh
    Period 4

    The US's involvement in the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, this relatively new terrorist organization has made big news since their start in 2013. I believe we as a nation should not get involved with the problems of the many countries in the Middle East, is that "inhumane", to some yes, but I believe it's better than spending the hard earned money of all tax payers in the millions to "prevent a genocide" or what have you. Is this organization a serious threat? Yes, there is no doubt about it, but do we have to spend millions of tax payers money on something we can have an equal effect on by simply monitoring the group, and supporting the surrounding countries as best as we can without throwing boots on the ground? Financially I do not agree with the intervention, but if we as a country had the money to afford another attack on such a "state" I would agree even if our taxes grew a smidge. All in all I believe what President Obama did was correct in setting an attack only if congress denies his request to stay in their region and "fight". The president has 90 days to have military action, after that he must get the okay from congress.

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  26. Patrick Period 6
    The articles and videos presented only solidified my position on not intervening in the Middle East. ISIS/ISIL is only an offshoot of the terrorist groups we generally know of (AL-Qaeda) and there always will be. The U.S. can't go around swatting flies all over the world without some sort of consequence. We are still feeling those consequences from all the recent engagements of the 21st Century in the Middle East. Economically, I don't think it’s a good idea to have another formal war in the Middle East over a threat that can be eradicated by those that are already there and tired of those groups causing trouble. It’s as simple as that, but, for some, another war is a political hay day.

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  27. Julian period 7: in my opinion i disagree in the U.S. going against the ISIS because they are trying to get the U.S. off track and into more problems in war and more fights. what i think the U.S. should do is to be less involved in helping the ISIS and focus more on a way to protect the U.S. citizens from any attack or harm.they have caused harm to some citizens but the U.S. should not fight to avoid less problems.their fight is not our fight.

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  28. Robert Period 7: I personally don"t think we should drop bombs on ISIS because it is going to create more problems in the future. We shouldn't attack ISIS either because that's what they want us to do. They want us to get distracted and go over there and fight. I think we should let other Middle Eastern countries try to fight off ISIS, but we should help and aide them.

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  29. Mercy Period 7
    In my opinion, the U.S. should not get involved too much with ISIS. We should be more concerned on the protection and the safety of our country. We should be worrying on the potential foreign attacks. In the second article, it stated that since we keep attacking them, we're getting distracted. That's exactly what ISIS wants to do. We should be one step ahead of them and calculate their moves before deciding to just attack them. We should wait for ISIS to make a mistake and then step in and take advantage of the mistake.

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  30. Johanna Arias
    Period 4
    My opinion on the situation currently going on in the middle east is that the united states should stay away from the problem. As of right now our economic situation is not at our best and from hearing the cost of every piece of equipment to successful help with the problem would put us even more in debt. I also believe that on the other hand if we don't get involved it looks bad because we have been involved in so many other problem that it would make us look weak to not help with this one. In the end there are always pros and cons to going to war and that's why we have our leaders to make the right choices.

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  31. Marcel Fequiere
    Period 4
    In my opinion we shouldn't get involved with ISIS because everyday we continue to bomb them were losing money. Money that we don't have with the way our economy is right now.

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  32. Roshad Green-Younger
    Period 2
    i feel as if we should get involved in the Isis crisis because the way they treat our people and their people over there is cure and unacceptable we should help the innocent people out over there and show them they cant treat us like they did

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  33. Louis Carrasco
    Period 4
    I believe that we shouldn't get involved in the Isis Crisis. One of the biggest reason why we shouldn't get involved is because of our debt, most of the countries we been fighting for are our allies or have funded for us, but this time it will not be the case and we will just make our economy worst. Second biggest reason for me is what if we do become successful but we hurt some of the innocent people themselves plus if i lost a fight with someone i would be seeking for revenge and payback so how do we know they come attack us here.

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  34. I believe that the U.S. should not get involved because we don't have money. I believe that if we don't get involved we can save money, also instead of us stay powerful we are actually getting weaker

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