The Dutchman

As the terrorists of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) threaten Baghdad, thousands of slaughtered Iraqis in their wake, it is worth recalling a few of President Obama's past statements about ISIS and al Qaeda. "If a J.V. team puts on Lakers' uniforms that doesn't make them Kobe Bryant" (January 2014). "[C]ore al Qaeda is on its heels, has been decimated" (August 2013). "So, let there be no doubt: The tide of war is receding" (September 2011).

Rarely has a U.S. president been so wrong about so much at the expense of so many. Too many times to count, Mr. Obama has told us he is "ending" the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan—as though wishing made it so. His rhetoric has now come crashing into reality. Watching the black-clad ISIS jihadists take territory once secured by American blood is final proof, if any were needed, that America's enemies are not "decimated." They are emboldened and on the march.

The fall of the Iraqi cities of Fallujah, Tikrit, Mosul and Tel Afar, and the establishment of terrorist safe havens across a large swath of the Arab world, present a strategic threat to the security of the United States. Mr. Obama's actions—before and after ISIS's recent advances in Iraq—have the effect of increasing that threat.

On a trip to the Middle East this spring, we heard a constant refrain in capitals from the Persian Gulf to Israel, "Can you please explain what your president is doing?" "Why is he walking away?" "Why is he so blithely sacrificing the hard fought gains you secured in Iraq?" "Why is he abandoning your friends?" "Why is he doing deals with your enemies?"

In one Arab capital, a senior official pulled out a map of Syria and Iraq. Drawing an arc with his finger from Raqqa province in northern Syria to Anbar province in western Iraq, he said, "They will control this territory. Al Qaeda is building safe havens and training camps here. Don't the Americans care?"

Our president doesn't seem to. Iraq is at risk of falling to a radical Islamic terror group and Mr. Obama is talking climate change. Terrorists take control of more territory and resources than ever before in history, and he goes golfing. He seems blithely unaware, or indifferent to the fact, that a resurgent al Qaeda presents a clear and present danger to the United States of America.

Carnegie Mellon Director of the Center for International Relations and Politics Kiron Skinner on the consequences of President Obama's decision to slow-walk military action against Iraq's Islamic militants. Photo credit: Getty Images.

When Mr. Obama and his team came into office in 2009, al Qaeda in Iraq had been largely defeated, thanks primarily to the heroic efforts of U.S. armed forces during the surge. Mr. Obama had only to negotiate an agreement to leave behind some residual American forces, training and intelligence capabilities to help secure the peace. Instead, he abandoned Iraq and we are watching American defeat snatched from the jaws of victory.

The tragedy unfolding in Iraq today is only part of the story. Al Qaeda and its affiliates are resurgent across the globe. According to a recent Rand study, between 2010 and 2013, there was a 58% increase in the number of Salafi-jihadist terror groups around the world. During that same period, the number of terrorists doubled.

In the face of this threat, Mr. Obama is busy ushering America's adversaries into positions of power in the Middle East. First it was the Russians in Syria. Now, in a move that defies credulity, he toys with the idea of ushering Iran into Iraq. Only a fool would believe American policy in Iraq should be ceded to Iran, the world's largest state sponsor of terror.

This president is willfully blind to the impact of his policies. Despite the threat to America unfolding across the Middle East, aided by his abandonment of Iraq, he has announced he intends to follow the same policy in Afghanistan.

Despite clear evidence of the dire need for American leadership around the world, the desperation of our allies and the glee of our enemies, President Obama seems determined to leave office ensuring he has taken America down a notch. Indeed, the speed of the terrorists' takeover of territory in Iraq has been matched only by the speed of American decline on his watch.

The president explained his view in his Sept. 23, 2009, speech before the United Nations General Assembly. "Any world order," he said, "that elevates one nation above others cannot long survive." Tragically, he is quickly proving the opposite—through one dangerous policy after another—that without American pre-eminence, there can be no world order.

It is time the president and his allies faced some hard truths: America remains at war, and withdrawing troops from the field of battle while our enemies stay in the fight does not "end" wars. Weakness and retreat are provocative. U.S. withdrawal from the world is disastrous and puts our own security at risk.

Al Qaeda and its affiliates are resurgent and they present a security threat not seen since the Cold War. Defeating them will require a strategy—not a fantasy. It will require sustained difficult military, intelligence and diplomatic efforts—not empty misleading rhetoric. It will require rebuilding America's military capacity—reversing the Obama policies that have weakened our armed forces and reduced our ability to influence events around the world.

American freedom will not be secured by empty threats, meaningless red lines, leading from behind, appeasing our enemies, abandoning our allies, or apologizing for our great nation—all hallmarks to date of the Obama doctrine. Our security, and the security of our friends around the world, can only be guaranteed with a fundamental reversal of the policies of the past six years.

In 1983, President Ronald Reagan said, "If history teaches anything, it teaches that simple-minded appeasement or wishful thinking about our adversaries is folly. It means the betrayal of our past, the squandering of our freedom." President Obama is on track to securing his legacy as the man who betrayed our past and squandered our freedom.

bmac32 Loc: West Florida

We have a president so far over their head, he as surrounded the cabinet with all like non-thinkers. Kerry as a S of S after a fail Clinton try, now her wants to be a what. Obama isn't even a J.V type but more of an 8th grader.

The Dutchman

:thumbup:

EconomistDon

Very good post Dutchman -- this is all very frightening. Obama has been catering to Islam from the beginning. He has shunned our long-time friends in Israel, and given strength to Islam across the middle east. Why would you give arms to Al-Qaeda to fight Syria, our long-time friend. And why would you drop economic sanctions against Iran over a handshake that they will devote nuclear development to only peaceful purposes. We are Islams sworn enemy. They will shake hands, nod, and wink; but never hold their end of the bargain. And why would you give a free ticket to thousands of them to settle in the country? It's as though Obama wants Islam to succeed.

kattmanduu

It seems that you all have such short memories. It was your daddy Bush that started us down this road with his war based in pure lies and false statements. If we had left our strongman in control in Iraq he would have kept the peace between the 2 factions that are fighting now, he did it for over 30 years before we went crazy in 1989/90 with our little Desert Storm there to show everyone just how shockingly awful a modern war can be. 9-11-01 was the modern day equivalent to Hitlers false-flag self inflicted attack that opened the ball for his blitzkrieg across Europe.
Then Bush Jr had to flex his muscle and try to finish what his daddy couldn't do. Bush was the president that wasted so much for so little in return. All he gained was a boost to his ego and to the bank accounts of those who backed his ventures.
Disarray in the governments of that region has been part of the zionist agenda of israel for over 60 years now, that is the prime cause of all the unstable governments we have there today. It is being done by the western governments on behalf of israel who has taken control of many western governments including our own. It is all done to fulfill the long-time agenda of theirs for a "greater israel", and none of it has anything to do with our national security or safety.

just chris

Our long time friend Syria? REALLY!!! Syria has never been friends with us but very close with Russia. As far as suppying arms in the Syrian civil war Obama is the one who refused to send advanced weapons from the beginning to the rebels it's been McCain and the Neocons who have been screaming how that was part of his failed policies in the middle east. The rebels are out numbered allmost 100 to 1 but Iraqs forces threw down thier weapons and ran away. Now McCain wants air to supply air support for the Iraq government, screw em It' not up to us to police thier country they asked us to leave so be it. You can post all the bullshit you want but these are facts Bush let the jennie out of the bottle it's time to let them sort it out amoung themselves.

just chris

Our long time friend Syria? REALLY!!! Syria has never been friends with us but very close with Russia. As far as suppying arms in the Syrian civil war Obama is the one who refused to send advanced weapons from the beginning to the rebels it's been McCain and the Neocons who have been screaming how that was part of his failed policies in the middle east. The rebels are out numbered allmost 100 to 1 but Iraqs forces threw down thier weapons and ran away. Now McCain wants air to supply air support for the Iraq government, screw em It' not up to us to police thier country they asked us to leave so be it. You can post all the bullshit you want but these are facts Bush let the jennie out of the bottle it's time to let them sort it out amoung themselves.

The Dutchman

:thumbdown: :thumbdown: :thumbdown: :thumbdown:

Here we go again, when ever these libtard misfits have nothing of substance to add they always revert to their bull shit blame Bush lies.....

The Dutchman

Here we go again, when ever these libtard misfits have nothing of substance to add they always revert to their bull shit blame Bush lies.....

bmac32 Loc: West Florida

You may need glasses. Israel not Syria and that changes everything you posted.

just chris

You are so right that does change the first 2 sentences. But everything else is correct. These constant posts about Obama wanting Islam to win in the middle east confuse me most all the middle east is muslim the question is which sect are we going to back. Perhaps if we arm everybody and let Allah sort it out.

The Dutchman

bmac32 wrote:
You may need glasses. Israel not Syria and that changes everything you posted.



You really are clueless aren't you?

just chris

In my last post I attempting a little humor. But when talking about clueless stupidity it is the epitome of your post. Your attempt to rewrite history and distort the facts just to bolster your agenda and propagate the right wing bullshit talking points fails to impress me. Instead of pointing out where my post the facts I stated were in some way incorrect you call me names, how intelligent. You are as with many others on this site who post opinions as if they were facts just another jerkoff with a computor, a lot of time and a liitle mind.

EconomistDon

Thank you Just Chris; you and kattmanduu support everything I said and feel. We have no business there. The only reason we ever got involved with the Arabs is to protect out gluttonous use of oil. The Arabs all hate us because we are not Muslims; we are the decadent west. They will not be happy and peaceful until we are all converted to Islam or dead. But we must help Israel, the number one target of Islam. Muslims vow openly, loudly, and often to wipe Israel off the planet. I don't understand how you misconscrewed (intentional misspelling) the things I said. Obama is being played like a puppet. He loves Islam and is giving them everything they want. If Obama was smart, he would approve the Keystone Pipeline, and find ways to increase fracking. We need to get our oil companies and our soldiers out of the middle east.

The Dutchman

Leaving normal people to the conclusion that you are in fact "Clueless"