Do you agree with this columnist's opinion of America's political leaders' responses to the Da'esh attacks in Paris this week?

2015-11-18T07:33:56-05:00

Monday was a horrible day for American leadership. First, our petulant, tone-deaf president showed more anger toward his political critics than toward ISIS. Second, the Republican presidential hopefuls turned their backs on Syrian war refugees in a xenophobic frenzy.

A Horrible Day for American Leadership

In response to terror, a petulant president and a xenophobic GOP presidential field.

Response by PO2 Mark Saffell made Nov 18 at 2015 7:38 AM

2015-11-18T07:38:58-05:00

129 dead and its a setback? Tone-deaf indeed.

Response by SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL made Nov 18 at 2015 7:41 AM

2015-11-18T07:41:29-05:00

COL Sam Russell i feel that more could have been did to prepare for ISIS in Sryria. POTUS, should re-evaluate his foreign policy and make it stronger in defense for the nation.

Response by PO1 John Miller made Nov 18 at 2015 7:58 AM

2015-11-18T07:58:20-05:00

POTUS is definitely arrogant. As to the GOP, if saying that "Hey, maybe we should stop the influx of Syrian refugees until we can determine who is and is not a terrorist..." makes them xenophobic then so be it.

Response by Col Joseph Lenertz made Nov 18 at 2015 8:03 AM

2015-11-18T08:03:24-05:00

Xenophobic, like so many of the names liberals call conservatives, is just a name. In this case, there is no basis in it. The desire to restrict or temporarily stop large numbers of Syrian refugees is based on evidence of the likelihood ISIS and other bad actors will try to use the influx to send jihadists to America. I bear the refugees no ill will at all, let alone "an intense dislike or fear of people from other countries". But they would be used as a mechanism to kill Americans, so I am with the Congress and the Republican candidates on this one.

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Nov 18 at 2015 8:09 AM

2015-11-18T08:09:08-05:00

There is a simple answer to this dilemma. My biggest concern is that the vast majority Ovi is refugees are males of military age between 18 and 35. Where are the women and children? Why are these men leaving their homeland? Have they been adequately screened before being permitted into the United States? There are too many questions that need answers before we can just blanket accept all of these refugees.

Response by 1LT Aaron Barr made Nov 18 at 2015 8:46 AM

2015-11-18T08:46:16-05:00

I can't help but wonder how many of those decrying not wanting to admit Syrian refugees as being xenophobic would offer to host some of them in their own homes.... According to every survey I've seen, roughly 10% of muslims are radicalized. There's no way to determine 100% who's a terrorist and who's not and one drop of American blood isn't worth 10,000 of these refuhadis.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 18 at 2015 9:30 AM

2015-11-18T09:30:49-05:00

I love my country, and I love the fact that my home town is now the home of large Somali and Hmong communities that fled persecution and death in their homeland to build a new life here. They have been an asset to the community, although admittedly they bring some frictions and their own issues too. I daresay that if we resettled a bunch of Ukrainians or Swedes a roughly equal amount of issues would arise. The most dangerous thing that has come out of the Somali group has been the occasional youth that wants to go home to fight there and some money being transferred to shady recipients. That keeps the FBI busy. It is manageable, if you are vigilant.
Having said that, I don't understand how the interests of the United States are served by just turning on the yard light and hoping for the best with this group. It has already been well-established that IS is using this group to mask infiltration of their goons. We have seen the result.

Response by PO3 Steven Sherrill made Nov 18 at 2015 9:43 AM

2015-11-18T09:43:17-05:00

I will re-state my position on the refugees. I agree that we should not take in any refugees. Not because of religion, fear, intolerance, xenophobia, or anything external. My reason for believing that we should not be taking in any refugees is that we have a homelessness problem in our own country. We are terrible at dealing with this issue. We have people who work and still don't earn enough of a living to put food on the table. I think that if, as a nation, we want to house refugees, then we should house refugees from the streets of America first. Then we can take in those displaced from foreign shores.
As for Mr. Obama, he reminds me of the emperor in the Emperor's new clothes. He is walking through the streets naked, daring anyone to question him on it, then taking the person who does question him to task for doing so. Oh, your feelings are hurt and you are frustrated. TOUGH SHIT! You are the President of the United States, not a sales person at the mall. You set a policy. It failed. Stop whining, go back to the drawing board, and try again.
So I am voting yes on this, but I wish there had been an Other Opinion option.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 18 at 2015 9:49 AM

2015-11-18T09:49:50-05:00

My feeling about Xenophobia that the president is definitely that and I believe he hate white christians.. His comment about "popping off" is more than insulting and seeing that countries, like Poland, the Czech Republic, Russia, Germany and all of the Arab States, tell me if there is racism going on, POTUS exemplifies the worst in human nature.

Response by COL Jason Smallfield, PMP, CFM, CM made Nov 18 at 2015 9:53 AM

2015-11-18T09:53:31-05:00

- No rational analysis of what is going on in the world squares with what the President is saying.
- Republicans have legitimate security concerns that must be addressed BEFORE Syrian refugees are allowed into the US. - I would be interested in seeing the gender and age breakdown of any refugees brought to the US. Yes, I am biased against military aged males without a spouse or children who claim to be a "refugee".

Response by Maj Chris Nelson made Nov 18 at 2015 10:08 AM

2015-11-18T10:08:41-05:00

My own personal opinion....senior leadership at the top is not listening to the concerns of the people and making decisions based on what he wants to do. If what I have read is correct, while most of the states that want to NOT take Syrian refugees, at least 1 of them is Democrat. From a couple of my own perspectives and stuff that I have seen and read:
1. The use of mass flux of refugees offers the strong probability of the Trojan Horse tactic (already used for the Paris event, so we know they are already using it). While most of the refugees are probably good people that are in a bad way, some will be wolves in sheep's clothing.
2. Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern Countries share common religious beliefs and can better accommodate these people....are not taking them due to their concerns of there being terrorists in the group. Saudi Arabia already has a town with Air Conditioned Tents that can accommodate 3 million people that is sitting empty! They set it up for the yearly migration that lasts a week or something....If these countries are not taking "their own people", what do they know that our leadership is not accepting?
3. Our welfare system is already over-taxed. I do not think that we need to be the world's savior at the expense of the taxpayer.

Response by Capt Walter Miller made Nov 18 at 2015 11:08 AM

2015-11-18T11:08:21-05:00

1. President Obama has said, and said this week that large numbers of US troops on the ground in Syria just won’t work. And CMOH winner Col. Jack Jacobs said the same thing on Saturday. It is total folly for us to have our guys killed on the ground where no one we support will work to keep it.

2. I heard half a dozen times this weekend that President Obama’s –strategy- of containing ISIS HAS WORKED. ISIS now controls about 25% less territory than it did a year ago. This, according to analysis I heard yesterday, is why ISIS is now fomenting locals in various countries to attack civilians at will. Otherwise, ISIS is irrelevant and powerless.

3. Refer back to #2. The president’s policy on ISIS is working.

4. The type of attack we saw in Paris is -undetectable-. No intelligence agency can discern who is in their basements looking at ISIS websites and coordinating the receipt of assault rifles, suicide vests, communication gear and the other tools of terror attack.

5. An appeal to hearts and minds is the only way to address the underlying causes of these attacks. That would absolutely include allowing carefully vetted Syrian citizens into this country. And the president knows that is “Who we are.”

6. Refusing any Syrian refugees at all would evoke Sun Tzu’s dictum that “He who defends all defends nothing.”

It is better to take 10,000 Syrians among whom may be a few martyrs than it would be to refuse to take them. It is a hearts and mind thing. We have to be the great nation we have been in the past, and resist:

1. Fear
2. Racism.

For it is clearly pandering to the racist element among the voters that the GOP presidential candidates are saying we should reject any refugees at all. It also will show us as not standing with our NATO allies if we reject refugees.

Walt

Response by SSG (ret) William Martin made Nov 18 at 2015 11:46 AM

2015-11-18T11:46:48-05:00

It's no secret POTUS cares a lot about what others think of him, and he often takes actions which will result in a political decision which is not necessary the best decision for others.

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Nov 18 at 2015 1:05 PM

2015-11-18T13:05:17-05:00

I've already responded to half of this elsewhere. Name-calling is just a form of ad hominem attack. Why not respond to their very rational questions regarding the wisdom of bringing Syrian "refugees" here. Look at the videos of these refugees. No, you won't find them on the news media. They don't look anything like the widows and orphans that the President says the GOP is afraid of. They look like military-age, virile young men and their rioting and demanding that cultural traditions be abandoned to cater to their religious beliefs.

As to the President's behavior. Does anyone really have to comment on it? Just watch. He is acting petulant, tone-deaf, and arrogant.

Response by Lt Col Timothy Parker, DBA made Nov 18 at 2015 1:12 PM

2015-11-18T13:12:03-05:00

Its interesting that the two political parties are positioning themselves based on politics. It's also interesting that we take pot-shots on their motives and actions without any knowledge of the information/intelligence they have. I suspect we all realize any candidate (regardless of party) will say whatever will benefit him/her to get elected - especially when they don't have any clue what is really going on or any responsibility for the results. Politics as usual - just my humble opinion.

Response by SSG Michael Hartsfield made Nov 18 at 2015 1:12 PM

2015-11-18T13:12:35-05:00

Instead of going over the same old "America is a nation of immigrants, many of which were fleeing persecution" chestnut, allow me to remind everyone that refugees are perhaps the most scrutinized group of immigrants in America and after the attacks in Paris, you can bet that if they have some much as a passing acquaintance with any extremist faction, that person will be shown the door. It's also our international responsibility to take some of these refugees so that we don't look like all we have to offer is lip service. Nevertheless, trust but verify, err on the side of caution, etc.
Additionally, if we do decide to slip into a xenophobic state, ISIS would have won a crucial IO/PSYOP victory. ISIS could tell the refugees that Americans aren't the saviors they claim to be and would rather have you die on the waters just off of their shores rather than welcome you, that they say that while American politicians don't hate Muslims or Islam, not allowing fleeing Muslims to seek asylum directly contradicts that claim...
(Forgive me, RP. My old PSYOP instincts are kicking in but you should be able to see how ISIS could spin this and make this messaging incredibly effective).
Lastly, what better way to counter this potential messaging that to welcome these refugees to America (Trust but verify, of course). Then, ISIS couldn't use this current fustercluck against us.
I'll leave you all with John 4:20 "If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen".

Response by MAJ Matthew Arnold made Nov 18 at 2015 2:14 PM

2015-11-18T14:14:33-05:00

I have emailed my state and federal representatives asking them to not take any refugees due to the possible terrorist among them. I hope you will all write your representatives and let them know what you think about this issue.

Response by Cpl Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 18 at 2015 4:06 PM

2015-11-18T16:06:08-05:00

This poll is a little lopsided considering there are democrats also questioning the vetting process of the invasion force, err refugees.

Response by PO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 19 at 2015 7:27 AM

2015-11-19T07:27:03-05:00

When will the liberal understand ... what is the meaning of survival ... or ... they actually ... don't want us to survive ??

Response by Capt Walter Miller made Nov 19 at 2015 7:29 AM

2015-11-19T07:29:54-05:00

The president probably wishes the GOP would stop acting as if it wants to destroy the U.S.

Walt

Response by SPC David S. made Nov 19 at 2015 2:39 PM

2015-11-19T14:39:08-05:00

I find the author's interpretation of current events rather interesting since at least as far back as 2005, the US has been financing and training anti-government opposition in Syria with a view toward regime-change. This policy goes back beyond the current POTUS. So maybe a better question to examine is how did our historical foreign policies contribute to the crisis with ISIS in Syria. How did we get to the point were American the land of the free is so eager to embrace isolationism. He makes it appear that the state of the Middle East was a conscious decisions of one President and that is clearly not the case. I think even if we look at our victories in the region we will be less than satisfied - Afghanistan's defeat of Russia leads to Taliban. Taliban leads to Iraq. Iraq leads to al-Qaeda. al-Qaeda leads to ISIS and then ISIS leads to Syria. The wing's of our foreign policy butterfly have created this hurricane. However I do believe our current president has weakened our efforts in the region as well there is a difference in being a xenophobe and one with a rational concern. I think an approach of secular reformation would have provided much better results.

Response by PFC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 20 at 2015 4:35 PM

2015-11-20T16:35:38-05:00

I think the author hits the nail on the head with his opener. Unfortunately after events like these hysteria and overreaction tends to permeate the air.