France had been on increased alert for terrorist threats since the Charlie Hebdo shooting and a series of related attacks in early January. Regrettably, this heightened vigilance for potentially devastating plots and schemes did not stop the horrific terror attacks conducted by ISIS operatives on Friday, November 13, that took the lives of over 130 citizens while injuring hundreds more. Response to the attacks has been both swift and serious. Immediately following the senseless tragedy, the French government conducted a series of air strikes and bombing runs against an assortment of valued ISIS positions located in Syria, such as a recruitment center and munitions depot. Additionally, one of the men believed to be responsible for helping to organize the Paris attacks has been placed under arrest in Belgium.
The horrific atrocities committed in Paris are just another reason to reaffirm the free world's dedication and the United States' necessary leadership role in defeating any and all terrorist organizations, as well as resoundingly quelling the seemingly perpetual upheaval in various volatile Middle East regions. We cannot continue to live in a world where the streets of the City of Love are lined with the bodies of innocent, peace-loving people. We cannot continue to live in a world where thousands upon thousands of innocent Syrian men, women, and children are lost in the civil war ravaging their country, while millions more flee their homes or are left without adequate food, water, and shelter. We cannot continue to live in a world defined by its constant war on terror.
The motto of Paris is "elle est agitée par les vagues, et ne sombre pas," which translates to "she is tossed by the waves, but does not sink." While the iconic city has been tossed by much more than waves, she will certainly not sink. Not if we, the United States and all of our allies around the world, have anything to say about it. We must stand with our French brothers and sisters and all others who have been affected by this violence and the countless other acts of violence committed by ISIS specifically, and indiscriminate, inhumane terrorism as a whole. Every single day these organizations continue to exist and pursue their misguided mission, innocent people can and will die.
Moving forward, we need to take a more pro-active and concerted approach toward rectifying the instability of the Middle East and decidedly dealing with the various terror organizations of the region. This approach cannot be taken unilaterally, and cannot be established without a deliberately formed international coalition. Moreover, it will require full participation from the people in Iraq, Syria, and other hotbeds for extremist terrorism that condemn the ideologies and actions of their neighboring radicals. These conflicts are first and foremost borne from the pivotal Arab Spring, and the primary duty to resolve these issues must be placed on the nations of the region if this resolution is to be conclusive and meaningful. As we have seen, however, the ability of these war-ravaged countries and their deeply complicated circumstances to resolve this issue has been called into legitimate and serious question. To that end, it is the duty of the rest of world, particularly major global leaders, to help our allies in the region deal with this unrest and upheaval.
For too long, we have used, while admittedly effective, inadequate methods in terms of scale and finality, such as tactical drone strikes and supplying friendly rebel forces with arms, intelligence and other services. In order to decisively end this regrettable and unspeakably tragic time in history, and finally close the book on our Global War on Terror, we need to commit the combined might of the United States and her allies to putting these merciless, ruthless and heartless organizations down.
As the most powerful and most capable nation on the planet, we cannot sit idle while this senseless lose of life continues on a daily basis. These radical groups are the antithesis to what we as a sovereign nation and member of a much greater global community ought to strive and stand for and absolutely must be degraded and destroyed.
