The current U.S. involvement in the Middle East has dramatically intensified in recent months. The U.S. dropped it’s 138th air strike early Sunday, Sept 7, against the efforts of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, or ISIS, is an attempt to protect Iraqi’s who asked for U.S. air support and security.

The air strike landed near the Haditha Dam, the second-largest hydroelectric contributor of power of Iraq. Fear of ISIS using the dam to flood Iraqi villages and control power sparked the air strike. According to Sajjan Gohel, International Secrity Director for Asia-Pacific Foundation, the fight against ISIS has already attracted a large number of foreign fighters. 

While this air strike could prove beneficial to the fight against ISIS, how far must the U.S. military be immersed in this way of life before we begin to see light at the end of the tunnel (this way of life meaning U.S. involvement in other country’s affairs)? 

It’s not that our efforts don’t have good intentions, the issue at hand is how many innocent lives are lost and in danger.

The recent publicized decapitation of not one, but two reporters as well as prisoners of ISIS shows their gruesome and hateful crimes will not cease without attention. 

ISIS has, in it’s possession, dozens of prisoners, from Iraqi natives to  reporters from all around the world to refugess and  women and children. They have proven they are not afraid to show America what they are capable of doing to these prisoners. 

Obama is to meet with congressional leaders later this week to continue countering ISIS threats, but are we to continue to lose American lives in this seemingly never-ending battle?

There are too many forms of terrorism finding its way into everyday life for Middle Easterners, but in order for ISIS to be defeated, there needs to be more involvement of our allies, and other enemies of ISIS.

The old Sanskrit proverb “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” rings true today, but the most important thing the U.S. needs to accomplish first and foremost is to protect and save the lives of the innocent who are caught in the middle of the reign of ISIS. Without the leverage of innocent lives, we can begin to chip away at the mass of terrorism that is ISIS.

-Amber Rouse

Exeuctive Editor, 

Northern Iowan