Radical Islamist Terrorist Attacks

[Andrew]

Most of the soldiers that were killed, wounded and maimed in Afghanistan were "volunteers". They joined the military in a time of relative peace to make a life for themselves. Many joined for an escape from poverty. I have no problem using our military when necessary but want the students at our universities fighting alongside the "volunteers in a draft which like Israel you can't get out of. Vietnam was a disaster because most people with money was able to escape the draft.

ISIS was created by the war in Iraq which was orchestrated by a Republican administration. There is no evidence that Dr. Ben Carson will no how to fight ISIS who wants to battle Americans as they wait for the end of the world.

Young men and women join the military for a variety of reasons, Many are college educated. I'm sure you've heard of West Point and the Naval academy. Anyone who has joined the military over the past 15 years did not do so during a time of peace. Anyone who is in the reserves knows full well that they can be called to active duty should the need arise. Blame the republicans all you want, for the current state of affairs, but the worst terror attack that this country has ever seen was orchestrated while a Dem was in office. . While Al Queda was busy planning 9/11, Bill Clinton was to busy getting blowjobs by interns under his desk. to notice. And Al Queda morphed in to ISIS. So if you want to place blame on anyone, you might as well go back to Hillary's husband.

So I guess Bush Sr is responsible for the first World Trade Center attack which was planned and financed during his presidency. Not sure what acts he took part in but pretty sure there were no interns who wanted to volunteer to service him.

 

[beast of the east]

This thread...

so I guess that this site can't handle a thread about race and their favorite basketball team, for I remember a thread about whether or not a Black assistant should be hired being removed.
Yet...

this rancid thread is allowed to grow.

I'm not exactly sure what you find rancid about this thread, which allowed members to express views about the groups that caused the worst carnage on French soil since WWII, and also about how American leaders have dealt with this growing problem. This attack came just 10 months after the Charlie Hebdo attacks. For Americans, it was a painful reminder that another 9-11 scenario is already actively being planned and that many others have been thwarted.

The Pew Research Center noted that in surveying Muslims in primarily Muslim countries, a range of 7-40% responded that suicide bombings can sometimes be justified.The lowest number came from Iraq (7%), a place where the US tried to spread democracy. The highest numbers (20-40%) came from Nigeria, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Egypt. Now that's rancid!

http://www.pewforum.org/files/2013/04/worlds-muslims-religion-politics-society-full-report.pdf

There are even more disturbing surveys where surprising numbers of Muslims blame the US for 9-11, and a significant number believe that the 9-11 attacks were perpetrated by the US and Israel to grow anti-Muslim hatred. Though anecdotal, I once asked a relative who teaches in a largely Muslim school district how many students believe that 9-11 was perpetrated by the US. The person quickly answered, all of them.

In Afghanistan, 99% of those surveyed favor Sharia law being the law of the land, in Pakistan 76% want Sharia Law instituted in all Muslim countries. The numbers are staggering in nearly all Muslim countries no matter how you slice them.

Yet, our current administration clings to the mantra that 99.9% of Muslims are good, faithful, peaceful people who reject radical Islam. There are no statistical measures to support this oft repeated claim. Even if accurate, which it is not, 0.1% of the Muslim population being radical would still amount to 160,000 radical Islamists. Not exactly the JV team, and not exactly a shrinking, contained group.

These statistics point to a significant and present radicalization in the Muslim world. Many rational Americans, Europeans, and others across the globe want this problem to be directly confronted and eradicated by whatever means necessary.

What in this discussion do you find rancid? To me, America's relative inaction against radical Islamic terrorists could be described as rancid. The slaughter of innocent civilians by Islamic jihadists cannot be sufficiently described by words. Revolting, heinous, murderous - all insufficient.

Believe it or not, my comments are not wrapped in hatred. I embrace any human who is guided by goodness, who strives to care and to love, and to make this world a better place. On redmen,com I often find myself on the opposite opinion consistently. Frequently I take it private with those people, who I always acknowledge as good, concerned people who I respect immensely who simply have a different solution to a particular problem. That preamble to civil discourse is what is missing from public dialogue today. Restoring that could be a first big step to solving many of the problems we are face with today.

What is your opinion of a draft where your kids would have to fight in this war not someone else's?

So, you want to frame America's response to the slaughter of civilians to be based on the price a parent may have to pay for America to respond with military force?

As in the price James Foley's parents paid because their son was a journalist.

Or the price that Nohemi Gonzalez' parents paid for her studying abroad.

Or 8 year old Martin Richard's parents paid for his attendance at the Boston Marathon.

Or the price that the parents of the 2,606 men and women who lost their lives on 9/11, including 343
members of the NYC Fire Department and 71 law enforcement officers.

Maybe your children have already been drafted into a war where simply taking the subway to NYC to work
puts them at mortal risk.

Or considering whether to study abroad in Europe.

Or join the runner's club at his school to participate in the Boston Marathon.

Andrew, are you suggesting that a military action in response to what every victimized nation has described as acts of war be framed by a parent's response?

No, those decisions are made out of great courage and not despair by strong leaders like President Franklin Delano Roosevelt who knew that his response to the attack on Pearl Harbor would result in the deaths of thousands of American servicemen - 291,557 to be exact.

They are made under great duress by great leaders like Abraham Lincoln, who so anguished over to possibility of Civil War, that he wrestled over whether the price of avoidance - allowing slavery in southern states - should be considered. The price - 212,938 dead to uphold and create the freedom of ALL Americans.

Those decisions, thankfully for Americans, are not to be made by parents in moments of weakness to spare their children from paying the ultimate price for their service to this nation. It is made by leaders who asked for America's trust in electing them to uphold the Constitution and the protect life and liberty that American servicemen before us, with us, and after us have, are, and will pay for in their blood.

The question isn't whether to enter a war, but to have the courage to lead, and realize that we are in a war. The war is not of our own doing, and our way of life should not be apologized for. We need a President who resolutely acts out of an elected and sworn duty to protect Americans from harm, not one who apologizes for America's so called transgressions. We need a President who realizes that decisions by his predecessors like FDR kept the free world free. A President who realizes that because 150 years ago a President who anguished so over the price of Civil War that he contemplated the continuance of slavery an option of avoidance. We need a great leader, not one who is so delusional that he believes that leading from strength is protecting the environment. A leader unafraid of calling our enemy exactly what they are - radical Islamic terrorists. Sadly we do not appear to have it.

I am confident that there will be no monuments in Washington DC for parents who anguish over losing a child to the military draft. But there are monuments for FDR and Abraham Lincoln as great Americans whose leadership embodies the best of America. Perhaps our scholarly President should reflect a little on the courage these two men had into leading America into just wars, righteous military engagement and who did not submit to the weakness of inaction, which would have changed the course of the world.

 

[Andrew]

Most of the soldiers that were killed, wounded and maimed in Afghanistan were "volunteers". They joined the military in a time of relative peace to make a life for themselves. Many joined for an escape from poverty. I have no problem using our military when necessary but want the students at our universities fighting alongside the "volunteers in a draft which like Israel you can't get out of. Vietnam was a disaster because most people with money was able to escape the draft.

ISIS was created by the war in Iraq which was orchestrated by a Republican administration. There is no evidence that Dr. Ben Carson will no how to fight ISIS who wants to battle Americans as they wait for the end of the world.

Whatttttttttttt? When that northern alliance commander was killed by the Taliban the next day we were warned that this meant that they were coming here. Our Special forces had Bin Laden in their scope but was told to stand down (me personally I would have said that there is static and I can't hear you, and yep I would have taking the consequences.). That is why 9-11 happened. Trump will take care of ISIS.

Obama is weak.

Great Great article. Nails it.
http://nypost.com/2015/11/14/its-time-for-obama-to-make-a-choice-lead-us-or-resign/

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013...ary-idUSBRE92D0PG20130314#r8eVhcuS8jHFg2VT.97


Money well spent....... No wonder I will never receive social security. Glad that you are collecting yours. I stopped reading the New York Post in the third grade when I realized it was hurting my vocabulary.

 

[redfan259999888]

Most of the soldiers that were killed, wounded and maimed in Afghanistan were "volunteers". They joined the military in a time of relative peace to make a life for themselves. Many joined for an escape from poverty. I have no problem using our military when necessary but want the students at our universities fighting alongside the "volunteers in a draft which like Israel you can't get out of. Vietnam was a disaster because most people with money was able to escape the draft.

ISIS was created by the war in Iraq which was orchestrated by a Republican administration. There is no evidence that Dr. Ben Carson will no how to fight ISIS who wants to battle Americans as they wait for the end of the world.

Whatttttttttttt? When that northern alliance commander was killed by the Taliban the next day we were warned that this meant that they were coming here. Our Special forces had Bin Laden in their scope but was told to stand down (me personally I would have said that there is static and I can't hear you, and yep I would have taking the consequences.). That is why 9-11 happened. Trump will take care of ISIS.

Obama is weak.

Great Great article. Nails it.
http://nypost.com/2015/11/14/its-time-for-obama-to-make-a-choice-lead-us-or-resign/

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013...ary-idUSBRE92D0PG20130314#r8eVhcuS8jHFg2VT.97


Money well spent....... No wonder I will never receive social security. Glad that you are collecting yours. I stopped reading the New York Post in the third grade when I realized it was hurting my vocabulary.

Better then that lib trash paper the NY Slimes

 

[beast of the east]

Most of the soldiers that were killed, wounded and maimed in Afghanistan were "volunteers". They joined the military in a time of relative peace to make a life for themselves. Many joined for an escape from poverty. I have no problem using our military when necessary but want the students at our universities fighting alongside the "volunteers in a draft which like Israel you can't get out of. Vietnam was a disaster because most people with money was able to escape the draft.

ISIS was created by the war in Iraq which was orchestrated by a Republican administration. There is no evidence that Dr. Ben Carson will no how to fight ISIS who wants to battle Americans as they wait for the end of the world.

Young men and women join the military for a variety of reasons, Many are college educated. I'm sure you've heard of West Point and the Naval academy. Anyone who has joined the military over the past 15 years did not do so during a time of peace. Anyone who is in the reserves knows full well that they can be called to active duty should the need arise. Blame the republicans all you want, for the current state of affairs, but the worst terror attack that this country has ever seen was orchestrated while a Dem was in office. . While Al Queda was busy planning 9/11, Bill Clinton was to busy getting blowjobs by interns under his desk. to notice. And Al Queda morphed in to ISIS. So if you want to place blame on anyone, you might as well go back to Hillary's husband.

So I guess Bush Sr is responsible for the first World Trade Center attack which was planned and financed during his presidency. Not sure what acts he took part in but pretty sure there were no interns who wanted to volunteer to service him.

A little history:http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/pr...rld-trade-center-bombing-a-new-threat-emerges

One overlooked fact. As a result of budget cuts, on 9/12/2001, the CIA's middle east bureau was so decimated that not a single agency employee was fluent in Arabic.

 

[monte]

Most of the soldiers that were killed, wounded and maimed in Afghanistan were "volunteers". They joined the military in a time of relative peace to make a life for themselves. Many joined for an escape from poverty. I have no problem using our military when necessary but want the students at our universities fighting alongside the "volunteers in a draft which like Israel you can't get out of. Vietnam was a disaster because most people with money was able to escape the draft.

ISIS was created by the war in Iraq which was orchestrated by a Republican administration. There is no evidence that Dr. Ben Carson will no how to fight ISIS who wants to battle Americans as they wait for the end of the world.

Young men and women join the military for a variety of reasons, Many are college educated. I'm sure you've heard of West Point and the Naval academy. Anyone who has joined the military over the past 15 years did not do so during a time of peace. Anyone who is in the reserves knows full well that they can be called to active duty should the need arise. Blame the republicans all you want, for the current state of affairs, but the worst terror attack that this country has ever seen was orchestrated while a Dem was in office. . While Al Queda was busy planning 9/11, Bill Clinton was to busy getting blowjobs by interns under his desk. to notice. And Al Queda morphed in to ISIS. So if you want to place blame on anyone, you might as well go back to Hillary's husband.

So I guess Bush Sr is responsible for the first World Trade Center attack which was planned and financed during his presidency. Not sure what acts he took part in but pretty sure there were no interns who wanted to volunteer to service him.

The first WTC bombing should have been a wake up call. It wasn't. Had Clinton taken the Al Queda threat seriously 9/11 would have never happened. In the same way that Clinton did not take Al Queda seriously enough, so too has Obama not taken ISIS seriously enough. If something is not done soon, the worst is yet to come.

 

[mjmaherjr]

Pretty easy to declare war when you have no skin in the game.

And a Special Forces War? Sounds great in a Tom Clancy novel. Problem is Isis controls half of Syria and dozens of towns.cities in Iraq. Neither Seal Team 6 nor the A-Team are going to get the job done.

No what will happen is we will overestimate our might. Have a great set of initial victories then the enemy will slowly chip at us and chip at us and it'll be 2004 all over again. Then we'll call in the National Guard because why not. Coast Guard and National Park Rangers will be next.

I figure I'll be okay in all this. May even make a killing. Just shifted most of my 401k to prosthesis makers.

Let me say the obvious:
There are no easy answers but we would like easy answers.
We might have to accept difficult answers...slow, steady effort to curtail the ISIS impact and influence. And sadly more human sacrifice.

It's not a question of whether America will participate, we already are and will. Good to see we have good solid capable company.
I see Russia and France have taken steps and you know we are involved with these activities. Informed.

I don't know much about the politics and players here, but I do know that Hitler overextended himself and alienated more nations than he had to. Poor judgment. ISIS is doing the same.
Evil force going wild, might implode.

all the best and
God bless us everyone.
SS&G

Glad to see you post that we already are. It was typical hearing the conservatives praising the plucky French for their 20 bombs on Sunday while asking what our spectator in chief was doing while ignoring the 6,500 bombs we've dropped on Isis to stop their progress and in many areas with the help of local forces push them back. Not saying it's enough, not even saying it's the right thing, just saying . . .

PS Maher, does being an atheistidel make me a more or less likely target? I don't even know.

judging by your karma I would say you are open for attack on all sides

 

[mjmaherjr]

this is just another reason why homeland is the best show on tv even better than the walking dead

 

[redfan259999888]

Most of the soldiers that were killed, wounded and maimed in Afghanistan were "volunteers". They joined the military in a time of relative peace to make a life for themselves. Many joined for an escape from poverty. I have no problem using our military when necessary but want the students at our universities fighting alongside the "volunteers in a draft which like Israel you can't get out of. Vietnam was a disaster because most people with money was able to escape the draft.

ISIS was created by the war in Iraq which was orchestrated by a Republican administration. There is no evidence that Dr. Ben Carson will no how to fight ISIS who wants to battle Americans as they wait for the end of the world.

Young men and women join the military for a variety of reasons, Many are college educated. I'm sure you've heard of West Point and the Naval academy. Anyone who has joined the military over the past 15 years did not do so during a time of peace. Anyone who is in the reserves knows full well that they can be called to active duty should the need arise. Blame the republicans all you want, for the current state of affairs, but the worst terror attack that this country has ever seen was orchestrated while a Dem was in office. . While Al Queda was busy planning 9/11, Bill Clinton was to busy getting blowjobs by interns under his desk. to notice. And Al Queda morphed in to ISIS. So if you want to place blame on anyone, you might as well go back to Hillary's husband.

So I guess Bush Sr is responsible for the first World Trade Center attack which was planned and financed during his presidency. Not sure what acts he took part in but pretty sure there were no interns who wanted to volunteer to service him.

The first WTC bombing should have been a wake up call. It wasn't. Had Clinton taken the Al Queda threat seriously 9/11 would have never happened. In the same way that Clinton did not take Al Queda seriously enough, so too has Obama not taken ISIS seriously enough. If something is not done soon, the worst is yet to come.

Exactly, didn't the isis leader say that: "The attacks in Paris is nothing compared to what we're gonna see."?
I think I know what he means by that, but I won't say it on here. It does give me the chills though.

But we're bringing them in right? WHY?????????????????????? IT JUST EATS ME UP
Just like paying Iran and helping them rebuild their reactor. I'm sorry but I truly believe that Obama is out to f this country, and I'm not afraid to say it.

 

[redfan259999888]

It's going down

FoxNews: explosives and gun fire, A number of officers wounded

 

[mjmaherjr]

It's going down

FoxNews: explosives and gun fire, A number of officers wounded

where ? hempstead ?

 

[monte]

Most of the soldiers that were killed, wounded and maimed in Afghanistan were "volunteers". They joined the military in a time of relative peace to make a life for themselves. Many joined for an escape from poverty. I have no problem using our military when necessary but want the students at our universities fighting alongside the "volunteers in a draft which like Israel you can't get out of. Vietnam was a disaster because most people with money was able to escape the draft.

ISIS was created by the war in Iraq which was orchestrated by a Republican administration. There is no evidence that Dr. Ben Carson will no how to fight ISIS who wants to battle Americans as they wait for the end of the world.

Young men and women join the military for a variety of reasons, Many are college educated. I'm sure you've heard of West Point and the Naval academy. Anyone who has joined the military over the past 15 years did not do so during a time of peace. Anyone who is in the reserves knows full well that they can be called to active duty should the need arise. Blame the republicans all you want, for the current state of affairs, but the worst terror attack that this country has ever seen was orchestrated while a Dem was in office. . While Al Queda was busy planning 9/11, Bill Clinton was to busy getting blowjobs by interns under his desk. to notice. And Al Queda morphed in to ISIS. So if you want to place blame on anyone, you might as well go back to Hillary's husband.

So I guess Bush Sr is responsible for the first World Trade Center attack which was planned and financed during his presidency. Not sure what acts he took part in but pretty sure there were no interns who wanted to volunteer to service him.

The first WTC bombing should have been a wake up call. It wasn't. Had Clinton taken the Al Queda threat seriously 9/11 would have never happened. In the same way that Clinton did not take Al Queda seriously enough, so too has Obama not taken ISIS seriously enough. If something is not done soon, the worst is yet to come.

Exactly, didn't the isis leader say that: "The attacks in Paris is nothing compared to what we're gonna see."?
I think I know what he means by that, but I won't say it on here. It does give me the chills though.

But we're bringing them in right? WHY?????????????????????? IT JUST EATS ME UP
Just like paying Iran and helping them rebuild their reactor. I'm sorry but I truly believe that Obama is out to f this country, and I'm not afraid to say it.

I don't know that he's intentionally out to F this country, I just think he's got his personal far left wing agenda and that's more important to him than the will of the people, national security, etc. And because he's not up for re-election, he's going to do whatever the hell he wants regardless of what the country wants. Worst pres ever.

 

[redfan259999888]

Most of the soldiers that were killed, wounded and maimed in Afghanistan were "volunteers". They joined the military in a time of relative peace to make a life for themselves. Many joined for an escape from poverty. I have no problem using our military when necessary but want the students at our universities fighting alongside the "volunteers in a draft which like Israel you can't get out of. Vietnam was a disaster because most people with money was able to escape the draft.

ISIS was created by the war in Iraq which was orchestrated by a Republican administration. There is no evidence that Dr. Ben Carson will no how to fight ISIS who wants to battle Americans as they wait for the end of the world.

Young men and women join the military for a variety of reasons, Many are college educated. I'm sure you've heard of West Point and the Naval academy. Anyone who has joined the military over the past 15 years did not do so during a time of peace. Anyone who is in the reserves knows full well that they can be called to active duty should the need arise. Blame the republicans all you want, for the current state of affairs, but the worst terror attack that this country has ever seen was orchestrated while a Dem was in office. . While Al Queda was busy planning 9/11, Bill Clinton was to busy getting blowjobs by interns under his desk. to notice. And Al Queda morphed in to ISIS. So if you want to place blame on anyone, you might as well go back to Hillary's husband.

So I guess Bush Sr is responsible for the first World Trade Center attack which was planned and financed during his presidency. Not sure what acts he took part in but pretty sure there were no interns who wanted to volunteer to service him.

The first WTC bombing should have been a wake up call. It wasn't. Had Clinton taken the Al Queda threat seriously 9/11 would have never happened. In the same way that Clinton did not take Al Queda seriously enough, so too has Obama not taken ISIS seriously enough. If something is not done soon, the worst is yet to come.

Exactly, didn't the isis leader say that: "The attacks in Paris is nothing compared to what we're gonna see."?
I think I know what he means by that, but I won't say it on here. It does give me the chills though.

But we're bringing them in right? WHY?????????????????????? IT JUST EATS ME UP
Just like paying Iran and helping them rebuild their reactor. I'm sorry but I truly believe that Obama is out to f this country, and I'm not afraid to say it.

I don't know that he's intentionally out to F this country, I just think he's got his personal far left wing agenda and that's more important to him than the will of the people, national security, etc. And because he's not up for re-election, he's going to do whatever the hell he wants regardless of what the country wants. Worst pres ever.

I don't know, but i see to many things that make me wonder about this guy agenda.

 

[redfan259999888]

Are the French police bringing in cannons? That thing is huge

 

[austour]

Are the French police bringing in cannons? That thing is huge

That's what she said.

 

[bamafan]

this is just another reason why homeland is the best show on tv even better than the walking dead

Do miss the Brody character and especially his wife played by Morena Baccarin. My new favorite character is Bashir Ahmed.

 

[logen]

Pretty easy to declare war when you have no skin in the game.

And a Special Forces War? Sounds great in a Tom Clancy novel. Problem is Isis controls half of Syria and dozens of towns.cities in Iraq. Neither Seal Team 6 nor the A-Team are going to get the job done.

No what will happen is we will overestimate our might. Have a great set of initial victories then the enemy will slowly chip at us and chip at us and it'll be 2004 all over again. Then we'll call in the National Guard because why not. Coast Guard and National Park Rangers will be next.

I figure I'll be okay in all this. May even make a killing. Just shifted most of my 401k to prosthesis makers.

Really good post, special forces was used to be able to make a point without writing a novel. But I really admire your ability to criticize without offering anything more to the conversation than what we are doing now, NOTHING! Let's just let the poor misunderstood, mistreated Islams attack western civilization as they will, after all, it was only 100 people this time, and you had no skin in the game being in the US, not Paris. Just another CNN TV diversion to be discussed, dissected and analyzed intellectually.

 

[beast of the east]

Most of the soldiers that were killed, wounded and maimed in Afghanistan were "volunteers". They joined the military in a time of relative peace to make a life for themselves. Many joined for an escape from poverty. I have no problem using our military when necessary but want the students at our universities fighting alongside the "volunteers in a draft which like Israel you can't get out of. Vietnam was a disaster because most people with money was able to escape the draft.

ISIS was created by the war in Iraq which was orchestrated by a Republican administration. There is no evidence that Dr. Ben Carson will no how to fight ISIS who wants to battle Americans as they wait for the end of the world.

Over the past 25 years: 1) George HW Bush was a war hero in WWII 2) Bill Clinton (poor) avoided the draft with a student deferment 3) George W Bush served in the Texas Rangers to avoid Vietnam 4) John Kerry served in Vietnam but faked an injury to be sent home 5) Obama never registered for the draft as required by law.

In the Iraq war after the very early stages where Hussein's troops were defeated, we were fighting Al Qaeda terrorists. President Bush asked Congress to authorize a military surge in 2007 a surge that the fledgling Senators Obama an d Clinton voted against. It worked, and at the close of his term, the US had secured 18 of 22 Iraqi provinces. The withdrawal plan from Iraq required the transfer of security forces from the US to Iraq. Joe Biden was sent to negotiate the plans of the transfer and bungled it so badly (intentionally?) that Iraq asked us to leave. Without adequate security, Isis then began to take over huge chunks of Iraq.

The neophyte Obama campaigned in 2007 ad vowed to withdraw all troops from Iraq within 60 days of taking office. Of course he had no idea of what he was saying, and the withdrawal took 3 years. I don't know how you win a war by announcing when you leave.

You say that Dr. Ben Carson (a true scholar, not a mediocre student at Occidental College who miraculously got accepted to transfer to Columbia) is not equipped to lead a military effort as Commander in Chief. I agree, but by those standards, of course Obama is a neophyte ill equipped to lead. He has shown zero ability to build consensus and reach across the aisle. By nature he is divisive, and 7 years later blames Republicans and his predecessor at every turn. No President in my lifetime ever criticized the other party with so much regularity. When he is gone from office, America can begin to rebuild.

Can you explain why a President so committed to the war on terror would swap 5 key Al Qaeda leaders in Gitmo for one military deserter who walked away from his post (after sending all his belongings home) to join the Taliban?

 

[sirvoo]

if we are going to all create a time machine and discuss what ifs, I'll throw in my two cents. We should've let Saddam maintain his control of that region. Instead our BS mentality to control geopolitics throughout the world came back to bite us in the ass AGAIN.

 

[Andrew]

Most of the soldiers that were killed, wounded and maimed in Afghanistan were "volunteers". They joined the military in a time of relative peace to make a life for themselves. Many joined for an escape from poverty. I have no problem using our military when necessary but want the students at our universities fighting alongside the "volunteers in a draft which like Israel you can't get out of. Vietnam was a disaster because most people with money was able to escape the draft.

ISIS was created by the war in Iraq which was orchestrated by a Republican administration. There is no evidence that Dr. Ben Carson will no how to fight ISIS who wants to battle Americans as they wait for the end of the world.

Over the past 25 years: 1) George HW Bush was a war hero in WWII 2) Bill Clinton (poor) avoided the draft with a student deferment 3) George W Bush served in the Texas Rangers to avoid Vietnam 4) John Kerry served in Vietnam but faked an injury to be sent home 5) Obama never registered for the draft as required by law.

In the Iraq war after the very early stages where Hussein's troops were defeated, we were fighting Al Qaeda terrorists. President Bush asked Congress to authorize a military surge in 2007 a surge that the fledgling Senators Obama an d Clinton voted against. It worked, and at the close of his term, the US had secured 18 of 22 Iraqi provinces. The withdrawal plan from Iraq required the transfer of security forces from the US to Iraq. Joe Biden was sent to negotiate the plans of the transfer and bungled it so badly (intentionally?) that Iraq asked us to leave. Without adequate security, Isis then began to take over huge chunks of Iraq.

The neophyte Obama campaigned in 2007 ad vowed to withdraw all troops from Iraq within 60 days of taking office. Of course he had no idea of what he was saying, and the withdrawal took 3 years. I don't know how you win a war by announcing when you leave.

You say that Dr. Ben Carson (a true scholar, not a mediocre student at Occidental College who miraculously got accepted to transfer to Columbia) is not equipped to lead a military effort as Commander in Chief. I agree, but by those standards, of course Obama is a neophyte ill equipped to lead. He has shown zero ability to build consensus and reach across the aisle. By nature he is divisive, and 7 years later blames Republicans and his predecessor at every turn. No President in my lifetime ever criticized the other party with so much regularity. When he is gone from office, America can begin to rebuild.

Can you explain why a President so committed to the war on terror would swap 5 key Al Qaeda leaders in Gitmo for one military deserter who walked away from his post (after sending all his belongings home) to join the Taliban?

I agree that Obama has made some mistakes. What I don't agree on is that Bush invading Iraq to eliminate" weapons of mass destruction" was not a disaster. As for the points on War Service, Bush Sr. fought in WW2 as part of a draft and many on here don't think Obama is a citizen so why would he register for Vietnam?

Will have to say Beast that your posts are a thing of beauty. If you knock them out in a couple of minutes you are an incredible writer.