Posted on Feb 18, 2015
Obama: Extremism fight is 'battle for hearts and minds'
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From: Army Times
President Obama provides a preview of his speech on violent extremism Wednesday via a Los Angeles Times op-ed, saying the U.S. has worked to block large-scale terrorism, but still faces threats of smaller attacks.
"Our campaign to prevent people around the world from being radicalized to violence is ultimately a battle for hearts and minds," Obama writes.
Saying that "we know that military force alone cannot solve this problem," Obama writes that "we also have to confront the violent extremists -- the propagandists, recruiters and enablers -- who may not directly engage in terrorist acts themselves, but who radicalize, recruit and incite others to do so."
That is one of the purposes of the White House Summit on Countering Violent Extremism, which Obama addresses on Wednesday and Thursday.
The summit takes place as conservatives criticize Obama for avoiding the term "Islamic extremism."
In his Los Angeles Times op-ed, Obama says that groups like the Islamic State -- also known as ISIL -- as well as the Pakistan Taliban, al-Shabaab, and Boko Haram pervert religion with attacks in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.
"Groups like al Qaeda and ISIL promote a twisted interpretation of religion that is rejected by the overwhelming majority of the world's Muslims," Obama writes. "The world must continue to lift up the voices of Muslim clerics and scholars who teach the true peaceful nature of Islam."
At the extremism summit. community leaders from Los Angeles, Minneapolis and Boston will discuss ways in which their cities "are helping empower communities to protect their loved ones from extremist ideologies," Obama writes.
The president also says "the world has to offer today's youth something better," including a guarantee of basic human rights.
Saying that "the United States has made significant gains against terrorism," Obama writes that American efforts have decimated the al Qaeda leadership "and worked to prevent another large-scale attack like 9/11."
But "the threat has evolved," Obama notes, citing the murders of America citizens in places ranging from Benghazi, Libya, to Fort Hood, Texas, to Boston, Mass.
Muslims, Jews, and a variety of religions have also been terror targets, Obama notes.
Citing the recent deaths of three Muslim Americans in Chapel Hill, N.C. -- a crime still under investigation -- Obama said that "we know that many Muslim Americans across our country are worried and afraid."
He adds: "Americans of all faiths and backgrounds must continue to stand united with a community in mourning and insist that no one should ever be targeted because of who they are, what they look like, or how they worship."
http://www.armytimes.com/story/theoval/2015/02/18/obama-white-house-summit-on-countering-violent-extremism-los-angeles-times/23603673/
President Obama provides a preview of his speech on violent extremism Wednesday via a Los Angeles Times op-ed, saying the U.S. has worked to block large-scale terrorism, but still faces threats of smaller attacks.
"Our campaign to prevent people around the world from being radicalized to violence is ultimately a battle for hearts and minds," Obama writes.
Saying that "we know that military force alone cannot solve this problem," Obama writes that "we also have to confront the violent extremists -- the propagandists, recruiters and enablers -- who may not directly engage in terrorist acts themselves, but who radicalize, recruit and incite others to do so."
That is one of the purposes of the White House Summit on Countering Violent Extremism, which Obama addresses on Wednesday and Thursday.
The summit takes place as conservatives criticize Obama for avoiding the term "Islamic extremism."
In his Los Angeles Times op-ed, Obama says that groups like the Islamic State -- also known as ISIL -- as well as the Pakistan Taliban, al-Shabaab, and Boko Haram pervert religion with attacks in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.
"Groups like al Qaeda and ISIL promote a twisted interpretation of religion that is rejected by the overwhelming majority of the world's Muslims," Obama writes. "The world must continue to lift up the voices of Muslim clerics and scholars who teach the true peaceful nature of Islam."
At the extremism summit. community leaders from Los Angeles, Minneapolis and Boston will discuss ways in which their cities "are helping empower communities to protect their loved ones from extremist ideologies," Obama writes.
The president also says "the world has to offer today's youth something better," including a guarantee of basic human rights.
Saying that "the United States has made significant gains against terrorism," Obama writes that American efforts have decimated the al Qaeda leadership "and worked to prevent another large-scale attack like 9/11."
But "the threat has evolved," Obama notes, citing the murders of America citizens in places ranging from Benghazi, Libya, to Fort Hood, Texas, to Boston, Mass.
Muslims, Jews, and a variety of religions have also been terror targets, Obama notes.
Citing the recent deaths of three Muslim Americans in Chapel Hill, N.C. -- a crime still under investigation -- Obama said that "we know that many Muslim Americans across our country are worried and afraid."
He adds: "Americans of all faiths and backgrounds must continue to stand united with a community in mourning and insist that no one should ever be targeted because of who they are, what they look like, or how they worship."
http://www.armytimes.com/story/theoval/2015/02/18/obama-white-house-summit-on-countering-violent-extremism-los-angeles-times/23603673/
Taliban
ISIS
Al Qaeda
9/11
Barack Obama
Posted 9 y ago
Responses: 16
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So long as the Obama Administration continues it's staunch refusal to acknowledge that we are engaged in a war against Islamic Extremism, the threat will continue to grow unabated. Whether you are in the diplomatic service at the State Department or a planner on the Joint Chiefs of Staff, none of us can be expected to articulate a coherent and logical strategy to counter the threat if our Commander In Chief refuses to issue any command guidance. As a result, you get the daily comedies of the disjointed press briefings from the White House, State Department, and Pentagon that do little more than provide prime fodder for the 24/7 news cycle and humorous social media memes. If only this were a laughing matter.
Despite repeated claims by the Administration that Al Queda is/was on the run and the threat posed by ISIS is being greatly exaggerated by the media, a review of the current global SITREP quickly dismisses these as ludicrous. ISIS controls most of Syria, Iraq, and is now expanding into Egypt and Libya. Al Queda is expanding it's influence deeper into Africa, as well as the Philipines, Australia, New Zealand, and Europe. The Taliban is reasserting it's influence in both Afghanistan and Pakistan as U.S. Forces have concluded combat operations in that region. It should be noted that a residual force is staying behind in Afghanistan, in hopes of avoiding the total collapse that contributed to the rise of ISIS in Iraq.
In the area of diplomacy, it was so highly anticipated that President Obama was bringing something fresh and new to the table, he was promptly awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace. Whoops! The "Arab Spring" of 2012 surged across the Middle East, riding an internet wave of frustration against the status-quo. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her team promptly got behind and publicly supported the removal of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarik and the active overthrowing of Libyan Dictator Muammar Gaddafi. In Egypt, Mubarik was jailed and put on trial for a litany of crimes against the people. In a highly questionable election, candidates backed by the Muslim Brotherhood took power. A year later President Morsi was arrested and replaced by General Sisi. Libya fell into a state of lawlessness that persists to this day. Of course, these are complex issues with lots of moving parts; but how could the same team so consistently draw the wrong conclusions with such resounding accuracy? As a result of these repeated errors in judgement, our adversary is now seen regularly roaming across terrain that we fought, and our brothers and sisters in arms shed blood and died for, in equipment we left behind for an Army that we left inadequately trained. Our Ambassador to Libya and three others lost their lives when the U.S. Consulate at Benghazi, Libya was overrun by Al-Queda-backed terrorists. Lastly, echoing the loss of the Consulate in Benghazi, was the panicked and disorganized evacuation of the U.S. Embassy in Yeman just last week.
Clearly, if U.S. foreign/military policy were a Go/No-Go event for evaluation purposes, this Presidency would be scored as a "No-Go" by the majority of the nation right now. To be fair, the President is not afraid to make some tough calls. Chief among these was the mission to kill Bin Laden. He'll order a drone strike when the intelligence supports it. If anyone could use a huge victory right now, it's the President. And yet, he could get it if he could only quit playing semantics with who it is we are fighting and be clear about what it is we are going to do about it!
Despite repeated claims by the Administration that Al Queda is/was on the run and the threat posed by ISIS is being greatly exaggerated by the media, a review of the current global SITREP quickly dismisses these as ludicrous. ISIS controls most of Syria, Iraq, and is now expanding into Egypt and Libya. Al Queda is expanding it's influence deeper into Africa, as well as the Philipines, Australia, New Zealand, and Europe. The Taliban is reasserting it's influence in both Afghanistan and Pakistan as U.S. Forces have concluded combat operations in that region. It should be noted that a residual force is staying behind in Afghanistan, in hopes of avoiding the total collapse that contributed to the rise of ISIS in Iraq.
In the area of diplomacy, it was so highly anticipated that President Obama was bringing something fresh and new to the table, he was promptly awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace. Whoops! The "Arab Spring" of 2012 surged across the Middle East, riding an internet wave of frustration against the status-quo. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her team promptly got behind and publicly supported the removal of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarik and the active overthrowing of Libyan Dictator Muammar Gaddafi. In Egypt, Mubarik was jailed and put on trial for a litany of crimes against the people. In a highly questionable election, candidates backed by the Muslim Brotherhood took power. A year later President Morsi was arrested and replaced by General Sisi. Libya fell into a state of lawlessness that persists to this day. Of course, these are complex issues with lots of moving parts; but how could the same team so consistently draw the wrong conclusions with such resounding accuracy? As a result of these repeated errors in judgement, our adversary is now seen regularly roaming across terrain that we fought, and our brothers and sisters in arms shed blood and died for, in equipment we left behind for an Army that we left inadequately trained. Our Ambassador to Libya and three others lost their lives when the U.S. Consulate at Benghazi, Libya was overrun by Al-Queda-backed terrorists. Lastly, echoing the loss of the Consulate in Benghazi, was the panicked and disorganized evacuation of the U.S. Embassy in Yeman just last week.
Clearly, if U.S. foreign/military policy were a Go/No-Go event for evaluation purposes, this Presidency would be scored as a "No-Go" by the majority of the nation right now. To be fair, the President is not afraid to make some tough calls. Chief among these was the mission to kill Bin Laden. He'll order a drone strike when the intelligence supports it. If anyone could use a huge victory right now, it's the President. And yet, he could get it if he could only quit playing semantics with who it is we are fighting and be clear about what it is we are going to do about it!
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MAJ (Join to see)
TSgt Hunter Logan, there is always a head, or there is no organization. The problem and challenge we face is the splintering that occurs whenever we eliminate one head or cell, the next is ready to fill the void. You are correct, that is very much a mindset issue they are raised with. You're also spot-on that until we have a change in leadership, we are likely stuck on the agonizing path that we're currently on.
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MAJ (Join to see)
But unlike Al Queda, which prides itself on it's flexibility and portability, ISIS is striving for permanence in the areas it has torn away from Syria and Iraq. If ISIS is to truly realize it's goal, it will have to establish a globally-recognized leader. At this point, they are very reminiscent of Iran in 1979 during the overthrow of the Shah, but before the Ayatollah emerged as the clearly-recognized leader of that nation.
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SSgt (Join to see)
I remember the 70s as I served from 1974-1985. It is the same incoherent policies and purging of the military but on a grander scale.
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Cpl Jeff N.
MAJ (Join to see) Great post, could not agree more with your summary of events and the potential implications.
Obama is involved in another round of correlation without causation. This one is that because there is poverty in the middle east/Africa, many are joining ISIS/AQ etc as if the poverty or lack of opporutnity is the cause. The cause is a radical interpretation of islam by radical clerics which is preached it to the masses and radical leaders of AQ/ISIS/Hezbollah, Boko Haram etc draw them in to point them at the enemy, namely, anyone not just like them.
Obamas's "poverty supports the breeding of islamic terrorism" is like saying that when the sun rises the rooster crows so the rooster must cause the sun to rise. Poverty is no more a cause of terrorism than the rooster causes the sun to rise. They happen contemporaneously but there is no causal link.
Obama is involved in another round of correlation without causation. This one is that because there is poverty in the middle east/Africa, many are joining ISIS/AQ etc as if the poverty or lack of opporutnity is the cause. The cause is a radical interpretation of islam by radical clerics which is preached it to the masses and radical leaders of AQ/ISIS/Hezbollah, Boko Haram etc draw them in to point them at the enemy, namely, anyone not just like them.
Obamas's "poverty supports the breeding of islamic terrorism" is like saying that when the sun rises the rooster crows so the rooster must cause the sun to rise. Poverty is no more a cause of terrorism than the rooster causes the sun to rise. They happen contemporaneously but there is no causal link.
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Bill Whittle on PJTV.com expresses the problem as well as any I've heard. He says that we have to periodically "mow the grass". That is the only response to evil that seems to work. Cut it down and wait for it to grow again.
I agree with him.
The President, on the other hand, appears to be as much a student of history as he is of the Constitution. He neither knows or appreciates either. He is repeating the mistakes of Britain's Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain who attempted to contain Hitler and the Nazis through appeasement. What we need is another Winston Churchhill to confront and defeat the enemy.
He's also repeating President Johnson's mistake when he advocates "winning hearts and minds". It was President Nixon who unleashed the full potential of the US military and drove the communists out of South Vietnam.
Then, like the Democrats in Congress who reneged on our promises to South Vietnam, President Obama withdrew from Iraq. The result was the same in both cases.
Sad, really sad...
I agree with him.
The President, on the other hand, appears to be as much a student of history as he is of the Constitution. He neither knows or appreciates either. He is repeating the mistakes of Britain's Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain who attempted to contain Hitler and the Nazis through appeasement. What we need is another Winston Churchhill to confront and defeat the enemy.
He's also repeating President Johnson's mistake when he advocates "winning hearts and minds". It was President Nixon who unleashed the full potential of the US military and drove the communists out of South Vietnam.
Then, like the Democrats in Congress who reneged on our promises to South Vietnam, President Obama withdrew from Iraq. The result was the same in both cases.
Sad, really sad...
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CPT Jack Durish
Silly me. I should have waited a few hours before commenting on this discussion. The President has just clarified his position and now I understand. ISIS is simply responding to "legitimate grievances". There, that explains it all, doesn't it?
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SSgt (Join to see)
He probably confuses Neville with Wilt Chamberlain. And his policies/politics are like Shaq's freethrows. You can't dunk a free throw! LOL
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SSgt Boyd Herrst
If obama read any history he read it wrong .. or backwards .. He didn’t squat and had thousands working for him and bad part of that was they were not that much smarter!
I watch the news and see Kerry muddle through.. the natives fon’t like what he tells them, he Bri es them with some of our secret weapons we haven't Even had a chance to use. Too expensive or not fair because the other side didn’t have an equal weapon.. I
Always thought we had to always be at advantage.. he had them reducing the killing strength of missiles .. geez wtf!..’O’.. those super binocs with computer attached and could be attached to a launcher and direct it right to it.
“Oh.. put that on the shelf, launch the old fashioned way(cipher on paper like jethro and turn a few knobs on the cannon and fire and hope for the best.. and turn in your hand held battery operated calculators too!) . And his ROEs.. him and holder.. knock and tell them we had to wait on a search warrant.. meanwhile insurgents are escaping out of the tunnel on the other side of the courtyard wall.
Real sharp Obama and holder were.. ohh yeah you couldn't joke and call them offensive names behind their backs.. or even when home on leave .. like we called the
‘Skinnies’ over in Afrika. after his
Time. One of O’s secret SJWs in the Civil service heard a fellow worker who was a ‘Nam vet call the North Viets “gooks”...In a war story he was telling at the cafeteria and ordered the head civilian to fire the Vet... the Vet hurried and retired before action could be taken.. . Silly nuances ..
I watch the news and see Kerry muddle through.. the natives fon’t like what he tells them, he Bri es them with some of our secret weapons we haven't Even had a chance to use. Too expensive or not fair because the other side didn’t have an equal weapon.. I
Always thought we had to always be at advantage.. he had them reducing the killing strength of missiles .. geez wtf!..’O’.. those super binocs with computer attached and could be attached to a launcher and direct it right to it.
“Oh.. put that on the shelf, launch the old fashioned way(cipher on paper like jethro and turn a few knobs on the cannon and fire and hope for the best.. and turn in your hand held battery operated calculators too!) . And his ROEs.. him and holder.. knock and tell them we had to wait on a search warrant.. meanwhile insurgents are escaping out of the tunnel on the other side of the courtyard wall.
Real sharp Obama and holder were.. ohh yeah you couldn't joke and call them offensive names behind their backs.. or even when home on leave .. like we called the
‘Skinnies’ over in Afrika. after his
Time. One of O’s secret SJWs in the Civil service heard a fellow worker who was a ‘Nam vet call the North Viets “gooks”...In a war story he was telling at the cafeteria and ordered the head civilian to fire the Vet... the Vet hurried and retired before action could be taken.. . Silly nuances ..
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As a bestselling published author on counterinsurgency, and "winning those hearts and minds" I would have to say that ISIS is not the type of group you want to attempt that with. ISIS needs to be dealt with harshly, swiftly, and there needs to be a good blend of offense, and defense. We need to work with the people to help stand up against the enemy. People need to remember it is not the heart of the enemy we want, it's the heart of the local national we want.
http://blueforcetracker.com/article/A-battle-won-by-handshakes
http://blueforcetracker.com/article/A-battle-won-by-handshakes
Lucas Dyer, author of "A Battle Won by Handshakes," previews his time spent in Afghanistan with the Second Marine Expeditionary Brigade and the tactics his unit employed.
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PO3 Paul Anderson
Throughout history there have always been groups that only respond to Pack Mentality. Who is alpha and where do they fit into the hierarchy structure. Zealots especially challenge that structure, always striving to be dominant. Any concessions we make are seen as weakness unless we are viewed as Alpha. Then it maybe viewed as charity or acceptance,(like when the Alpha wolf lets the others eat when he is done)
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SSgt Lucas Dyer M.S.
Who is Alpha Company 1/5?? The best damn, most highly decorated Marine Corps Infantry unit. Next question!
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