Friday, September 19, 2014
From: Gary L. Bauer
A Deadly Competition
With all the news about ISIS, we can’t forget that Al Qaeda, contrary to the president’s claims, is not on the run. In fact, CBS News reports that the most imminent threat to our security right now is likely coming from an Al Qaeda division known as the Khorasan cell.
As Osama bin Laden once said, people instinctively flock to the “strong horse,” and lately the “strong horse” for jihadists has been ISIS. Looking to regain its standing in the terror world, it seems Al Qaeda is in a deadly competition with ISIS and is desperately trying to strike America again.
Intelligence reports indicate that the Khorasan cell consists of highly trained bomb makers from Pakistan who are plotting to take down U.S. passenger jets with new, harder-to-detect bombs. Screening at foreign airports has been increased, and media reports suggest that this new threat could be related to Great Britain’s recently increased terror threat level.
Security experts fear that Westerners waging jihad in Syria are being recruited to carry out these attacks. Matt Olsen, director the National Counter Terrorism Center, told members of Congress this week that intelligence agencies cannot effectively track Westerners inside Syria.
Yesterday, Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) tried to force a vote on legislation that would revoke the citizenship of Americans who join ISIS. The Cruz bill was nearly identical to legislation previously sponsored by former Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman (I-CT) and endorsed by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
It would enable the State Department to cancel the passports of Americans fighting for terrorist groups, which it is not currently doing, thereby preventing a wannabe jihadi martyr from boarding and taking down a flight to the U.S. Unfortunately, a liberal senator objected and blocked the vote.
Obama vs. The Generals
The front page of today’s Washington Post finally conceded what many people in Washington have been talking about for years: There is a growing rift between the commander-in-chief and the nation’s top generals.
While President Obama continues to tell ISIS that they don’t have to worry about facing American ground troops, more and more generals are openly saying such a strategy is doomed to fail.
We must deal with ISIS. I believe we should increase arms to the Kurds, and I believe there will be a need for U.S. Special Forces. But I am very skeptical about taking a gamble on any rebel group in Syria.
On matters of national security, I’m glad the generals are being more vocal. I wish they had done so over the last six years, especially when it came to the left’s politically correct efforts to fundamentally transform our military culture.
This week the Air Force has made God optional when airmen take their oath. I don’t doubt that there are atheists in the military, but we must stop this constant erosion of the Judeo-Christian values that our nation is built on.
The vast majority of Americans do believe in God. I strongly suspect that a firmly rooted belief in right and wrong, in good and evil and service to others explains why so many of our young men and women are eager to wear the uniform and willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for their fellow countrymen if necessary. Those are the essential values that faith teaches and inspires.
Sadly, there is a growing hostility toward faith in military. It will be a tragic mistake if our country discourages men and women of faith from serving. As Ronald Reagan said, “If we ever forget that we are One Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under.”
Prayer And Pigskin
There was a tradition at Oneida High School football games in Oneida, Tennessee, of having the Lord’s Prayer recited over the stadium’s sound system. But the anti-religious bigots at the ACLU and the Freedom From Religion Foundation threatened to sue the school district if the prayers were not silenced.
Well, the Oneida High cheerleaders refused to be silenced. Last week, during a compromise “moment of silence,” the cheerleading squads from both teams came together and began saying, “Our Father, who art in heaven…” Suddenly, the entire stadium joined in!
This is just another example of what can happen when people of faith refuse to be cowed and stand up for their values!
Three cheers for the cheerleaders of Oneida High! They should inspire all of us to boldly stand for our values.
Join Me In D.C.!
Join me next week at the 2014 Values Voter Summit in Washington, D.C., September 26th – 28th.
This year’s Summit features an incredible lineup of speakers, including:
Glenn Beck
David and Jason Benham
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX)
Gov. Mike Huckabee
Mark Levin
Gov. Sarah Palin
And many more outstanding conservative leaders!
American Values will host a special luncheon on Saturday, September 27th. (To attend the luncheon, you must purchase a separate ticket.)
This year’s Faith, Family and Freedom Gala Dinner will honor Meriam Ibrahim for her courageous stand for her Christian faith and against Sudan’s Islamist regime.
To learn more or to register online, click here now.
I look forward to seeing you there!
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