Chris Matthews challenges neocon Evan Kohlmann’s shocking disregard for American soldiers
If anyone ever doubted that the Right Wing and the neocons care very little about he American soldier, Evan Kolhmann’s slip of the tongue was probative. It was immediately evident that to neocons the American soldier is but a commodity, a tool.
Chris Matthews asked a simple question. How do you take back territory from ISIS (Sunni) when there is a Shia led government in Syria and a Shia government placed by the U.S. in Iraq. Evan Kolhmann’s answer was shocking.
“I think that is part of the problem,” Kohlmann said. “We at one point had the opportunity here to recruit Arab nationals, Arab Sunnis to fight against ISIS. I am afraid that window might have closed.”
Matthews asked why aren’t the fleeing Syrians recruited for the task. After-all he said, they should want to take their country back. Kolmann decided to first blame President Obama.
“If those people had faith in us,” Kolhmann said. “They wouldn’t be running from Syria. And I have to say, I understand their perspective. We once said there was a red line in Syria.”
“I am not in the blame America club,” Chris Matthews interjected. “If it were my country I would want it back.”
Matthews left Kohlmann rambling as he posed another question to Steve Kornacki. Steve pointed out that there was Republican unanimity in not wanting refugees. He then pointed out that all Republicans slammed President Obama’s policies but had no solutions. He said most candidates were hesitant about articulating a position of boots on the ground. Other Republicans wanted boots on the ground.
Chris Matthews then said it is insane for millions of Syrians to be coming to the West as we go over there to fight the war for them. Every American soldier should listen to what this Right Wing neocon said subsequently. Maybe it will open a few eyes.
“Look, again these are families,” said Kohlmann. “I mean this is like when you see the boats coming from World War II Europe with refugees and you turn these people away. These are not fighters.”
Matthews interjected. “You know how many soldiers of ours that are fighting overseas now?” Matthews asked. “On multiple deployments who have families?”
“Look, everyone has families,” Kohlmann replied. “When you have little kids and there are barrel bombs being dropped on you. It’s important to understand.”
Syrian families are just as important as American families. Many American soldiers have children they barely know as they have been continuously deployed. Yet this neocon shows a false empathy for Syrian families as he disregards the American soldier and the American soldier’s family in order to justify a military industrial complex driven war.
I will repeat. ISIS is not an existential threat to America nor any country in the west. The 129 dead in Paris is tragic. If these types of attacks are treated as they should be, organized crime, it would neuter ISIS. After-all, ISIS needs to seem more powerful than they are. They are no more powerful than a large band of thugs with weapons. Again our Right Wing mass killers and gang bangers in America have killed more than ISIS has in the entire West.
ISIS has no Air Force. ISIS has no Navy. ISIS has no standing army. They buy weapons from West. A war is simply a marketing bonanza for weapons manufaturers who supply both sides as families on all sides are destroyed. Will we allow ourselves to be played again?