Michael Collins

ISIL replaces Russia as the top threat to the United States according to president

"There's a sucker born every minute." President Obama agrees based on his address to the nation. How else can you explain the pathetic national address just delivered?

Tonight's viewing event featured ISIL, the latest excuse for increased military spending. The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) is also called ISIS and IS. The name really doesn't matter. ISIL is code for angry Muslims who decapitate reporters. ISIL didn't quite pass public relations muster when it stood for angry Muslims who attack Iraqi towns and cities.

Early in the speech, the president said, "we have consistently taken the fight to terrorists who threaten our country." Therefore, we're taking "the fight" to ISIL, right? It's a little more complicated than that.

The terrorists we're preparing to fight were and are fighting on the same side as the U.S. in two recent regime change efforts, Libya and Syria. During U.S. support for the Libyan revolution, the United States partners, the Qataris, provided millions for weapons and troop on the ground to anti-Gaddafi rebels. Former members of the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group dominated rebel military leadership. That organization was a named terrorist organization in 2004 by Israel, the United States, and Great Britain. The group affiliated with Al Qaeda in 2007.

During the U.S. led effort to oust Syria's President Bashar al Assad, the U.S., Turkey, and NATO partners supplied aid to rebels, aid they claimed was "non lethal." The nation of Qatar, a partner in the effort to oust Assad, was more direct in their provision of lethal aid (just as they had been in Libya). An organization called Al Nusrah, aligned with Al Qaeda, was prominent among the Syrian rebel groups. While U.S. aid went to the secularist rebels, Al Nusrah received weapons and support from Qatar and other Gulf oil kingdoms. Al Nusra also received funding from ISIL, which is heavily funded by Saudi Arabia.

Al Qaeda affiliated rebel groups in Libya, Syria, and Iraq have been funded for a good while by U.S. allies Qatar and Saudi Arabia. In addition, NATO member Turkey has provided these same rebel groups safe haven throughout the attack on the Syrian government.

None of this has been done in secret. There have been no strenuous U.S. objections to Qatari, Saudi, and Turkish support of Al Qaeda affiliated groups, including ISIL, over the past few years. Now, all of a sudden, we're declaring war on the groups that fought on the administration's side against Gaddafi and Assad.

What threat does ISIL post to the United States? This wasn't quantified, the president simply made the assertion.

" …these terrorists could pose a growing threat beyond that region – including to the United States."

ISIS is essential for two key reasons. First, the administration needs a war to keep defense spending up at a time when everything in the budget should be under intense scrutiny. The endless war faction in Congress, i.e., almost every member, won't have to deal with questions like this: If the main focus is on terror threats, why do we need all of these advanced weapons systems like nuclear submarines, aircraft carriers, and advanced fighter aircraft? The president and Congress are on board with the ISIL scare thus allowing Congress to do what it does best, pass legislation without even reading it.

Diversion is second factor that places ISIL center stage. The war faction was on the verge of pulling off a major coup, the creation of a new Cold War. The U.S. inspired coup in Ukraine and military aggression against its own citizens in southeastern Ukraine by the U.S. puppet government seriously provoked Russia. When Russia responded with objections plus diplomatic support and covert aid, the storyline emerged: Russia is the enemy of world peace led by that devil Putin. A string of Ukrainian army defeats at the hands of resistance militias seriously threatened administration storyline. In addition, the truth about the presence of neo-Nazis in positions of power in Ukraine started seeping into the corporate media. The new Cold War had to be put on hold until some kinks are worked out.

ISIL - angry Muslims who decapitate reporters - was the perfect answer. There's the fear factor plus the claim that this will be a three-year effort. What better time to announce this than the day before the anniversary of 9/11?

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