The top U.S. commander for the fight against the Islamic State on Monday slammed the idea of “carpet bombing” the terror group, a strategy that has been suggested on the GOP campaign stage repeatedly.
Army Lt. Gen. Sean MacFarland, who overseas the coalition fighting the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, said such a move would be militarily unacceptable.
“Indiscriminate bombing where we don’t care if we are killing innocents or combatants is just inconsistent with our values,” he said Monday during a news conference in Baghdad, CNN reported.
“We are the United States of America, and you know we have a set of guiding principles, and those affect the way we, as professional soldiers, airmen, sailors, Marines conduct ourselves on the battlefield,” Lt. Gen. MacFarland continued. “We are bound by the laws of armed conflict. And you know at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter only if you win, it matters how you win.”
He noted that Russia has received international backlash after being accused of killing hundreds of civilians in Syria in indiscriminate bombing campaigns.
“Right now, we have the moral high ground, and I think that’s where we need to stay,” he said, CNN reported.
Lt. Gen. MacFarland’s comments came the day of the Iowa caucuses, which saw Texas Sen. Ted Cruz edge out GOP front-runner Donald Trump. Both candidates have suggested a more rigorous bombing campaign against the terror group.
Mr. Cruz has said, if elected in 2016, he would “carpet bomb ISIS into oblivion,” and Mr. Trump has criticized the the U.S. for “fighting a very politically correct war.” Mr. Trump has also said he would target the terrorists’ family members.
• Kellan Howell can be reached at khowell@washingtontimes.com.
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