It’s been 11 years since the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the U.S. and here we find ourselves once again as Canadians being asked to support a war in Iraq.
The latest threat facing the Free World comes in the form of another radical Islamic group called ISIS or ISIL (the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria or the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant).
Like other radical groups in the Middle East before it, ISIS hides behind its religion as an excuse to kill others.
But unlike many other groups, ISIS has shown a level of shocking savagery we just don’t witness every day.
Whether we liked it or not, Canadians were introduced to the group last month when ISIS beheaded American journalist James Foley and released the gruesome video over the Internet with a message warning Americans to halt airstrikes in Iraq.
A month later ISIS sent another chilling message with the murder and video release of a second American journalist, Steven Sotloff.
And just as President Obama started canvassing for allies in the growing fight against ISIS, the militant group terrorized potential supporters of the U.S. with the killing of British aid worker David Haines.
ISIS shows no bounds. If this group can ruthlessly kill innocent journalists and aid workers, it will stop at nothing to get what it wants.
As Canadians, we are obliged to help the U.S. when asked. As a free society we simply have no choice but to act against such human atrocities taking place in Syria and Iraq.
It is said ISIS is making $3 million per day in the sale of oil. You can be sure that money will go a long ways in strengthening the group’s numbers and global power, even allowing it to buy and sell hostages captured around the world.
Leaders from 30 countries around the world met in France this week and said they will join the alliance to overtake ISIS, Canada included.
As French President François Hollande said earlier this week, ISIS is a global threat that requires a global response.
As we saw a weeks ago when former Kamloops TRU students were identified as ISIS fighters, no country nor community will be immune from this latest war.
- Angie Mindus/Williams Lake Tribune