On the recordFebruary 12, 2015
The international campaign to defeat ISIL depends in great part on the strength and effectiveness of trusted partners in the Middle East--trusted partners such as the Kurds. The Kurdish Peshmerga is a moderate and capable force. They are showing determined courage in fighting ISIL, and they are winning a number of strategic victories. The Kurds are also defending the values of tolerance and pluralism, sheltering hundreds of thousands of Christians, Yazidis, and innocent Muslim people who have fled ISIL's onslaught. They deserve robust support. Driven by a twisted form of Islam, ISIL's militants are eighth century barbarians using 21st century weaponry. The recent videotaped immolation of a caged Jordanian pilot is a horrific reminder of their brutality. They are now responsible for the deaths of four American hostages, including Kayla Mueller, a 26-year-old humanitarian worker who was captured while assisting refugees in Syria. Confronted by such acts, the United States, Sunni Arab nations, and key allies, including Germany, France, and Britain, should enhance military support for the Kurds. ____________________
