This IS War, Mr. Obama

This IS War, Mr. Obama

Commentary by Sanford D. Horn

September 3, 2014

Semantics be damned, Mr. Obama, this is WAR. You and that twit of a spokesperson at the State Department Jen Psaki can tap dance all day long about how you won’t assign labels, but to paraphrase a scene from the hilarious film Blazing Saddles, labels, we don’t need no stinkin’ labels.

ISIS is lopping off heads at a rate faster than you can get back to the golf course after a vacation speech where you feign concern over whatever crisis you are ignoring, Mr. Obama. Yes, Mr., not President, as I respect the office of president far too much to sully it by referring to you in that title. First James Foley, and now Steven Sotloff – American journalists who put themselves in harm’s way to ensure the world knew what dastardly, barbaric deeds the enemies of decency were perpetrating.

And as ISIS continues marching toward its goal of a global Islamic caliphate, you, Mr. Obama continue to dither and stick your finger in the air to determine which way the wind is blowing while fecklessly announcing to the world that “I don’t want to put the cart before the horse, but we don’t have a strategy yet.”

Obama’s idiotic admission to the world brings to mind another brilliant cinematic quote when Vito Corleone told his oldest son, the hotheaded Santino in The Godfather, “Never tell anyone outside the family what you are thinking.” Obama is no Sonny Corleone; sadly, Obama is more reminiscent of Fredo, a useless lounge lizard of a family traitor who can barely accomplish the simplest of tasks. What Obama did accomplish is returning to the golf course and attending numerous fundraisers.

And while Obama continues to glide emotionless through his second term in office, the national leader acting most like an actual world leader is Great Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron. Cameron raised the terror threat level to “severe,” the second highest in the UK and he returned home from holiday, unlike his American counterpart, who remained on Martha’s Vineyard and did not cut short his vacation.

Cameron then issued a statement about ISIS that did not mince words. We “must confront it [at] home and abroad – and defeat it at its source,” calling Muslim extremism and terrorism a “poisonous ideology pre-dating 9/11.” Its roots even predate the Barbary Wars of 1801-05 during the Jefferson administration and 1815 during the Madison administration, as well as the Crusades spanning the eighth through 15^th centuries.

That same day all Obama could muster was his announcement of a need for a strategy. Two weeks later, Obama, while in Estonia, could not even manage to offer a consistent plan within the same speech. First Obama said it was necessary to “degrade and destroy ISIS,” then backtracked mere sentences later indicating the need to make this “a manageable problem.”

Obama called for bringing the ISIS murderers to justice. Justice should be nothing less than a bullet to the head. There is only one way to deal with ISIS, ISIL, Hamas, or any other terrorist outlet, Mr. Obama, and that is to take Senator John McCain’s (R-AZ) advice – “Kill them.” US Representative Frank Wolf (R-VA) said he will introduce a bill authorizing the use of force.

This is not a partisan issue. Florida Senator Bill Nelson (D) supports giving Obama the tools by which to destroy ISIS and there are strong words from Vice President Joe Biden who said, “We will follow them to the gates of Hell… because Hell is where they will reside.” For once, Joe being Joe is a good thing! Lawmakers are demanding a clearly defined strategy in combating ISIS sooner rather than later.

ISIS is a terrorist organization making al-Qaeda look like a Boy Scout troop. If a hand of peace or friendship is extended to them, they will not only cut it off, but then slap you with the bloody stump. This is not a group with which to negotiate as their end goal is a Muslim caliphate including Sharia Law and hordes of dead Christians, Jews, and other so-called infidels.

Cameron is leading with confidence while Obama isn’t even leading from behind as he oft claims he will do. Obama is not leading, and he is most definitely behind, as this administration has had more than a year to generate a battle strategy. Obama, and by proxy, the United States, is a disrespected laughing stock on the world stage. Retired Air Force Lieutenant General Thomas McInerny said that Obama’s inaction and lack of a clear strategy is “approaching dereliction of duty.”

Where are leaders like Harry Truman and Ronald Reagan? Neither that Democrat nor that Republican would take any crap and were presidents of action.  Action that would restore the United States to its rightful place in the global arena as a leader to be feared and respected as well as one that could be counted upon by its allies in times of distress. We are beyond the point of distress, Mr. Obama. Man up and do your job.

Sanford D. Horn is a writer and educator living in Westfield, IN.