Big Red Car here in a cloudy ATX. Going to be sunny and mid-80s today. Just need an hour or so to burn it all off. Ahhh, the best time of year in the ATX.

So we’ve begun to bomb ISIS targets in Syria. A good move and hats off to the President for pulling the trigger so to speak.

This is a good first step to make ISIS sweat out the sanctity and safety of its Syrian based command and control, munitions, training, weapons dump locations. Well played!

It is fair to note the “coalition” is really the Americans and a few pygmies whose military contribution is inconsequential but what is perhaps more important is that Arab countries–sovereign nations–have taken up arms against ISIS thereby popping the bubble of their “Caliphate” notion, the idea they ARE the Arab world. Of course, many of these Arab nations are the natural enemies of ISIS but who’s quibbling at this stage?

Keep your eyes on the conduct of Turkey to really get an idea of whether this coalition will be effective. Turkey’s position astride the Syrian border can make this a “home game” for the coalition by allowing immediate access to targets of opportunity. Turkey can make this a lot easier if they are so inclined.

ISIS has probably had ample warning to be able to move many of these installations nonetheless the idea they cannot sleep safely in their beds will slowly begin to wear them down. We will likely get lucky and be able to follow some communications intel or humint to put a cruise missile down the stove pipe of some leadership locations. It will be interesting to see how this impacts their combat operations in the region. No arms or ammunition resupply is a tough way to fight. Decapitating the leadership is an effective strategy.

 The Tomahawk Cruise Missile
When You Care Enough To Send the Very Best 

In the history of warfare, particularly American military history, the presence of safe harbors–Cambodia in Viet Nam, China in the Korean War–has always dealt a blow to American strategy. It has often been a self inflicted wound and one that in retrospect we have seen for what it was. It is a stupid mistake to make.

The notion of bombing ISIS targets in Syria without the joinder of the Syrians is the right move. Well played. The Russians will weigh in shortly, so watch what Putin has to say. In many ways, this justifies his actions and he will not hesitate to point that fact out to us privately and publicly. Stay tuned.

The Arab Spring has begun to morph into winter.

But, hey, what the Hell do I really know anyway? I’m just a Big Red Car.