Aid Syrian rebels to combat Islamic State? Your Say

Congress voted this week to authorize the president's plan to arm and train Syrian rebel forces to fight the Islamic State militant group. Letters to the editor:

President Obama reiterated Wednesday that he will not send U.S. combat troops to fight the militant group the Islamic State. We, as Americans, should regard that as a good thing.

This terrorist organization, also known as ISIS or ISIL, is taking territory from Syria and Iraq and has committed atrocities such as decapitating two U.S. journalists and a British aid worker. ISIL is a threat to everyone, but we do not need to send in U.S. combat troops to fight another war in the Middle East and throw away more lives, especially after finally pulling out of Iraq and Afghanistan. I agree with the strategy to combat ISIL by training Iraqi soldiers, and possibly Syrian rebels, to deal with the terrorists.

Although ISIL needs to be dealt with, we should not risk the lives of our troops any more than we already have.

Mark Williams; Altoona, Pa.

I understand the hesitation to go to war against ISIL. I am sure that the English and French felt the same way in the 1930s. They had just fought the war to end all wars and had no fight left in them. By the time they knew what was happening, it was too late. ISIL is not Nazi Germany, but it is bent on world conquest. The group has money, resources and very dedicated volunteers. This kind of fanaticism doesn't vanish easily.

Unfortunately, ISIL is not the only fanatic Islamist group. Boko Haram in Nigeria, al-Shabab in Somalia, the Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and Hamas in Gaza are all examples.

We have no time to waste, and compromise is not an option. They must be stopped, and we need to be united to do it.

Let's stop the political bickering and fight our enemies, not each other.

Gil Stein; Aptos, Calif.

Comments from Facebook are edited for clarity and grammar:

We are planning to arm Syrian rebels whom we don't know much about other than that they want to get rid of Bashar Assad? How do we know that the rebel groups are not Islamic State (also known as ISIL) or al-Qaeda fighters? Perhaps if we had not destabilized certain countries in the Middle East, there wouldn't be an ISIL to battle now.

— Marcus M. Long

It is time we stop paying for other nations' wars and let them fight on their own. We need to keep our nose out of the Mideast wars. Let other nations join in and handle it. We should not force our democracy on them.

Conflicts have gone on for centuries and will continue; it is time to step aside. Interfering only brings it to our land.

— Judy Buss

As much as I want to defeat these cowards, the president is doing the right thing by refraining from sending combat troops to Iraq.

Remember that al-Qaeda aimed to ruin us financially. President Obama is bombing ISIL positions, and that has to be enough until we really know who the enemy is.

Another war, when we are already loaded with debt and unfunded liabilities, is not fiscally wise.

— Edward W Greenlee

I am sure ISIL is grateful for Obama to divulge his strategy. Who does this? If we are truly at war with these terrorists, then why limit and reveal our offensive strategy?

— Bruce Nelson

Without an all-out effort, which would include combat forces on the ground, we will lose this war. Maybe once ISIL does damage on U.S. soil, we will then challenge it in hand-to-hand combat!

— Fred Lander

To everyone who wants troops on the ground, please put your boots on and get to marching. Oh, and please take all your relatives and friends.

— Everleen Richardson