By Tanner D. Nypen ’15
THE ROUNDUP

President Barack Obama reinstated air strikes in Iraq Aug. 7, targeting ISIS militant forces who are committing acts of genocide.

This came as a shock to me. Obama had pledged to end the war in Iraq.

Islamic State of Iraq and Syria militants have been marauding in Iraq, killing those who do not convert to their extremist Islamic beliefs.

Religious communities are being targeted, including those of the Yazidis and Christians in Iraq.

Obama said in a press conference that he was not planning on assigning ground troops to the region.

At first I felt split about Obama’s new airstrike plan simply because I was unaware of the ISIS threat to the American people.

Airdropping of supplies to the communities of Iraqi people who were being prosecuted by their countrymen seemed to be the right step in upholding the United States’ ideas of human rights.

On the other hand, the airstrikes made less sense because they targeted fortified ISIS strongpoints and convoys to relieve pressure off the struggling minorities within Iraq.

I understand the idea behind helping those who are in extreme need, but the idea of redeploying forces into Iraqi airspace seemed risky.

This U.S. involvement led to a grievous sight.

ISIS militants brutally executed American journalist James Foley on video as a sign to the U.S. government to stay out of the conflict. Foley was reported kidnapped in Syria during 2012.

As many people would agree, this particular act crossed a line.

Obama doesn’t need to send in the entire United States army in response, but I feel that something must be done.

Perhaps Obama could divert more covert Special Forces to rescue the remaining hostages before more families need to replicate the grief of the Foley family, or even halt the airstrikes until there is a better way to ensure the safety of the hostages.

The United States does not and should not negotiate with terrorists, but protecting American people should be top priority.

But most of all I feel that everything should be done to avoid another war in Iraq.

We already removed our forces once as part of Obama’s campaign to end the Iraq war and devoting our troops to another violent conflict in Iraq is not a solution.