The Cult of Air Power Won’t Destroy ISIS

[Draggingtree]

The American Conservative : The Cult of Air Power Won’t Destroy ISIS Bluster about carpet bombing cities sidesteps important questions about rules of engagement and the Geneva Conventions.

By KELLEY VLAHOS • December 17, 2015

 

Obliterate. Destroy. Bomb them into the stone age.

 

After nearly 15 years of war, we are used to this kind of bombast from warhawks and Republican candidates eager to make a muscular point on the debate dias. But now, particularly after the shocking attacks in Paris and San Bernardino, calls to “unleash” the full power of the U.S. military overseas—even if that means eliminating “cumbersome” and “restrictive” rules of engagement—have taken on a more realistic, if not mainstream urgency.

 

Led by a vanguard of camera-ready lawmakers and armchair generals, the march to “take the gloves off” is now punctuated with language that taps into real fears over domestic terrorism, government mistrust, and the prevailing cultural divide.

 

This was all too apparent during Tuesday’s GOP debate. When asked about his earlier remarks about “carpet bombing ISIS into oblivion,”