Ken Berwitz
We know the ways and means to destroy the Islamic State. Butwe\’re not doing it.
By all accounts,ISIS is the wealthiest terrorist organization in the world. By far. In roundnumbers, ISIS is said to have a $2 billion stash, which is keeping it afloat.Most of it comes from oil sales. Much of it comes from plundered banking funds.And the rest of it comes from taxing locals, selling stolen antiquities andkidnapping ransoms.
The big question is what are we – The United States – doing about it?
Taking away themoney would go a long way toward winning the war. But thus far our record islousy.
“Show me the money” is the movie line sports agent Jerry Maguire (Tom Cruise) made famous. But wealready know where most of the new ISIS money is coming from: oil sales. Andmuch of those sales take place inside Turkey, our alleged ally.
The U.S. has donenext to nothing to bomboil trucks carrying ISIS\’ most valuable resource and principal fundingmechanism. Why? Because the Obama administration wants to stop “collateraldamage.” That means the oil-truck drivers are civilians who are off limits inthis war. It\’s the dumbest thing I\’ve ever heard.
Of course, thecivilian truck drivers are part of the ISIS operation, even though they may notbe wearing uniforms. And of course, however unfortunately, war bringscollateral damage. Yet bombing missions have been stopped mid-operation byObama lawyers interfering with the U.S. military.
Obama officials alsoworry that hitting oil trucks will cause massive carbon emissions that wouldincrease global warming. I kid you not. It\’s astonishing.
