Obama: Extremism fight is 'battle for hearts and minds'

Army Times — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 10:19:18 -0500

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/

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Feb 18 at 2015 1:28 PM

CPT Jack Durish — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 13:28:53 -0500

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...

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 18 at 2015 5:19 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 17:19:00 -0500

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!

Response by Cpl Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 18 at 2015 5:53 PM

Cpl Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 17:53:42 -0500

LOL "block large-scale terrorism" has he seen the spread of ISIS lately? Who the heck are his advisers or is he making this up as he goes?

Response by Maj Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 18 at 2015 7:59 PM

Maj Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 19:59:16 -0500

Just give them a job....it's all good.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 18 at 2015 11:00 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 23:00:10 -0500

This President is dangerous. He silences dissent while allowing ISIS to thrive. IMHO.

Response by CMSgt David Wedington made Feb 19 at 2015 12:29 AM

CMSgt David Wedington — Thu, 19 Feb 2015 00:29:46 -0500

A battle for hearts and minds... Really? Makes you wonder, if our leaders were face-to-face with the Islamic Extremists; would they face a threat of beheading or embracing.

Response by SSgt Lucas Dyer M.S. made Feb 19 at 2015 12:33 AM

SSgt Lucas Dyer M.S. — Thu, 19 Feb 2015 00:33:53 -0500

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

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.

Response by SPC Richard Hiltz made Feb 19 at 2015 3:42 AM

SPC Richard Hiltz — Thu, 19 Feb 2015 03:42:03 -0500

I'll guess I'll make this short and plain:

This goes well beyond simple naivety or willful negligence.

Response by Capt Richard I P. made Feb 19 at 2015 8:30 AM

Capt Richard I P. — Thu, 19 Feb 2015 08:30:24 -0500

Did he mean two to the heart and one to the mind?

Response by Cpl Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 19 at 2015 9:31 AM

Cpl Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 19 Feb 2015 09:31:19 -0500

I think this sums it up...

Response by SGT Tyler G. made Feb 19 at 2015 8:29 PM

SGT Tyler G. — Thu, 19 Feb 2015 20:29:47 -0500

Extremism is a war fought on two fronts, and as such is that much more difficult to win. The first front is defending ourselves against those that have already been radicalized and that have taken up arms to attack and kill innocents; we should work to contain and dismantle the threat. However, unless we recognize the underlying cause of why people turned towards extremes in the first place it will be like trying to cut the head off of a hydra. Yes there are some people who are just bad, but I'd argue the majority of people who turn to extremism do so because they feel they have no other choice, because they've been marginalized by those in power and don't feel like they can be heard except through the barrel of a gun. It is these issues our focus should be on if we want to truly end the issue of terrorism in the middle east. We also must be extra careful when waging war on the first front, such that we don't hurt our effort on the second.

Response by SSgt Randy Saulsberry made Feb 20 at 2015 12:28 AM

SSgt Randy Saulsberry — Fri, 20 Feb 2015 00:28:33 -0500

as veterans and most of us have most likely deployed to war. any student of battle knows that in any war it is a battle of hearts and minds but its a lot easier to fight that war when you are fighting an organized governement. but when you are fighting a group such as Al Qaeda or ISIS its not so easy.
1. there are no builidings or compounds you can just bomb. they are fighting for their ideaology so the ones that you kill will be replaced by someone else.
2. You cant just rush in with a massive amount of troops amd just kill them all, because they use propaganda to fight their war. they get people to join them by telling stories and lies of the horrible things that american imperialism and military power has done i their area. So if we go this route it will just be feul which will allow them to use to recruit more people into their fight. reason why they have people from all over the world flying over there to help them fight this war andeven some American citizens have fallen for their propaganda and went to fight with them as well
it has to be aproached as a battle of hearts and minds. we have to be able to show the people in those areas that we dont mean them any harm and that we are there for their benefit. if we continue to just march around and do whatever we like in the middle east it will just create more enemies, hince the reason its ljust getting worse. i mean it was the Mujahideen of Pakistan, the the Taliban in Afghanistan, then Al Qaeda, and now ISIS. and with the rise of every new group they are more violent ad extreme than the one prior. so if we keep going about it the same way history says that we will topple ISIS but a new and more violent group will take their place. not to mention we are slowly uniting the middle east against us.
so if any of you "Laeaders" dont understand that you need to either study more war commanders and battles as well as world history or move on and find another career

Response by SPC Chimene Radcliffe-Webster made Feb 20 at 2015 2:11 AM

SPC Chimene Radcliffe-Webster — Fri, 20 Feb 2015 02:11:08 -0500

This man who has no military experience and has not listened to his military for the last almost 8 years speaks out of his A** , he won't even listen to his congress he only cares for his so-called muslim brothers and what they have to say and that the US needs to cow down to them. I like to see him and others congress and senate personnel go to the hotspots and actual see what his so called brothers really do to their own people and ours over in the sand box and then give a heart and mind speech again and maybe he will start listening to his generals and those in the congress that know what the hell is going on. and get his and hilray out of office as well as that clown of vice pres too.

Response by MSgt Mayo Sifford made Jul 15 at 2016 7:10 PM

MSgt Mayo Sifford — Fri, 15 Jul 2016 19:10:18 -0400

"Hearts & Minds"..mmmm....where have I heard that before? Oh yeah! Vietnam! Never did get them though.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 15 at 2016 10:17 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 15 Jul 2016 22:17:27 -0400

That seems to have worked well this far. Bleeding Christ! I can't wait to retire man...

Response by SSgt Boyd Herrst made Sep 15 at 2019 12:46 PM

SSgt Boyd Herrst — Sun, 15 Sep 2019 12:46:15 -0400

Obama emitted a bunch of incoherent toubletalk babble back when gave his speeches trying to not call them what they were and all his SJWs were running around trying to correct people saying the jihadist word or what ever other word we called the terrorist . If they couldn’t get us to stop we went in the big black book .
And watched carefully..