One question I get when out speaking is: What can our country do about ISIS? Most Americans are not excited about committing ground troops, but they also realize that ISIS has become such a threat that something must be done.

President Vladimir Putin has committed troops supposedly to battle ISIS, but it appears that is not his actual plan. Many commentators say Russian troops are in Syria because of the weak responses from this president and his administration. Putin and other leaders have concluded that America (at least at the moment) poses no threat to their desires.

Russian troops have actually been bombing groups that this administration describes as Syrian moderates. I am not so sure they are moderates. Instead, we need to work with our true allies in the region. That would be the Kurds and the Peshmerga. They are long-standing allies of America but unfortunately are using outmoded weapons.

The major roadblock to effectively arming the Kurds is the Foreign Assistance Act and the Arms Export Control Act. Kurdistan is not a fully independent nation. Therefore the U.S. must coordinate arms transfers through the Iraqi government in Baghdad. That is why ISIS often has better weapons than the Peshmerga. Somehow this this military imbalance must change.

America must also work with other allies in the region (like Israel and Jordan) to fight ISIS. And we should use the significant air advantage that we have over ISIS. If Russia won’t bomb ISIS into submission, we need to do so. We are kidding ourselves if we think that Russia will be a partner in fighting terrorism. Currently they are supporting Iran, which is probably the largest sponsor of terrorism in the Middle East.

I wish I could give you easy answers. There are no easy answers in the Middle East right now. Supporting our allies and arming the Kurds will be more effective than what we are doing now.