Terrorism is More than a PR Problem

We are just a few days away from the fifteenth anniversary of the 911 attack. It was an unprecedented enemy assault, killing more than Pearl Harbor.

It is less likely that someone could pull off something like that today. However, we are at greater risk than ever before. Al Qaeda was a terrorist group but ISIS is a terrorist country that is far more brutal and ruthless. In addition to the nation it has carved out of Iraq and Syria, it has cells around the world and has been very effective radicalizing thousands of people. These lone wolf attacks are the hardest to stop.

By pulling troops out of Iraq and dithering in Syria, President Obama allowed ISIS to gain strength and territory. We are now bombing them but the rules of combat are so strict that the effectiveness is limited. Nobody wants to see civilians killed, but stopping them will save far more lives.

The real problem is that the Obama Administration sees this as a PR problem. He refuses to mention the religious underpinning of their radicalization. He dismissed ISIS as the “B team”. Now the Secretary of State is telling journalists to quit reporting on terrorism.

He seems to take a Lyndon Johnson “it’s all about me” approach to governing. Now he is bound and determined to close Gitmo. Many of those released have returned to the battlefield and undoubtedly more will do so. The only good reason I can think of to shut it down is so he can fulfill a campaign promise.
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Let’s hope the next president does better. Given the abysmal candidates running, I’m not very optimistic.
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