Obama Downplays Radical Islamist Tennessee Shooting

Yesterday came the sad story of four innocent Marines in Chattanooga, Tennessee being killed by a radical Islamist who happened to also be a resident of the United States.  Those who understand that the West is at war with radical Islam are saddened, but not surprised by the attack.

The Wes’s contemporary war with radical Islam has its roots in the 1980s with growing strength of the anti-Soviet movement in Afghanistan that was ultimately controlled by radical Islamists. Then, with the dissolution of the Soviet Union, a power vacuum was created in parts of the world that had large Muslim populations.  In some of these areas radical Islamists fill the vacuum.

After 9/11, George W. Bush responded by first invading Afghanistan and later Iraq.  The invasion of Afghanistan was an appropriate in response to the Taliban’s harboring of the terrorist leadership responsible for the 9/11 attacks.  It was, however, a mistake to not have withdrawn from Afghanistan after successfully routing the terrorists.  The invasion of Iraq was a flawed strategy that took down a tyrant who at least controlled the forces of radical Islam and was also an offset to Iranian power.

Since becoming President, Barack Obama has taken a different, but also flawed strategy.  Where radical Islam has become a conventional military force, ISIS, Obama refuses to take the necessary steps defeat this army.  In Libya, Obama helped bring down the dictator Qaddafi (the George W. Bush approach) without considering the likely consequences of radical Islamists filling the vacuum.

As for the nonconventional military threats from terrorists, the President’s policies have attempted to play whack-em, using standoff drones to kill terrorist leaders.  However, this approach does not take out the foot soldiers that are then able to carry out their own retribution.  This approach also does not stop terrorists from using social media to radicalize citizens or residents of Western countries, such as exemplified in the current Tennessee killings.

There are a couple of ironies raised by the Tennessee tragedy.  First, the dead Marines, experts and the use of guns, were barred from carrying them in what is a gun free recruiting station.  While this lame policy was initiated under George H. Bush, Obama could have used his executive authority to remove the policy given the known terrorist threats to military bases.

Even more serious to successfully combating a war that we have not chosen, President Obama refuses to name the enemy in this generational war that is being waged on the West by Radical Islam.  The video clip below exemplifies the naivety of the Obama approach.  It also helps explain why the forces of radical Islam have strengthened under President Obama.