“OBAMA HANDED IT TO THEM”
by Colonel Bob Pappas, USMC, Retired, ©2012, blogging at Gulf1
(Sep. 23, 2012) — In the past number of days the world has witnessed widespread violent street protests by Muslims. It has been consistently labeled by Obama and his Administration as “spontaneous” citing the underlying cause a video trailer, “Innocence of Muslims” that portrays Muslim Prophet Mohammed in unfavorable light. So when “all hell” broke loose, featuring attacks on U.S. Embassies primarily throughout the Muslim world, Obama, Clinton and Rice were quick to cite the low budget, low class video as the reason. Their assertion flies in the face of the facts and an earlier movie by major financial supporter Bill Maher titled “Religulous” that decries all religion, with about twenty minutes focused on Islam. To any practicing Muslim Maher’s “Religulous” is arguably more offensive than “Innocence of Muslims.”
The violence however has deeper roots, roots that lead directly to Obama. It began predictably with his “apology tour” which pandered to Muslims around the world. He apologized for U.S. assertion of its right to defend itself; he declared the U.S. to be one of the largest Muslim nations on the planet; he cited “important” contributions of Muslims to the United States throughout its history; he declared that the U.S. is no longer a Christian nation; he espoused his personal affinity to Islam; and, he asserted that his election would have a decided calming effect on Muslim attitudes toward the U.S.
Meanwhile, given his attitude about the War on Terror (relabeled “overseas contingency operations”) he walked away from Iraq and refocused U.S. effort on Afghanistan. He upped the ante for bringing justice to bin Laden then combined with limited combat operations and indigenous training operations, he set a definitive date to withdraw U.S. Forces from Afghanistan. His evident underlying thinking was by decapitating Taliban leadership it would cause a collapse of the movement with minimum expenditure of resources. Boots on the ground alone in a massive manhunt do not work efficiently or well in that area of the world, so he adopted a strategy of precision targeting made possible by high resolution imagery, human intelligence, precision munitions, world-wide digital command and control and highly efficient delivery platforms (none of which he built).
By fitting drones with precision-guided munitions, it is possible to efficiently kill a target with minimal collateral damage. That drone strikes occur has long been common knowledge, what was not known is, according to numerous media sources including the New York Times, in an article on May 29, 2012, “Mr. Obama has placed himself at the helm of a top secret “nominations” process to designate terrorists for kill or capture…” This is borne out by Obama’s selection of American-born Muslim cleric Anwar Al-Awlaki for assassination by drone attack in Yemen in September 2011. Then, in one fifteen day period there were fifteen drone attacks against al Qaeda targets in Yemen, all selected by Obama. Numerous media sources cite the death in June of 2012, of al Qaeda’s deputy leader Abu Yahya al-Libi by drone attack. Then Saeed al-Shihri, deputy in Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula’s leadership, was killed on September 10th, 2012. Drone sorties number in the hundreds and one can be assured that a large percentage are dedicated to attacking al Qaeda soft targets which Obama personally selects.
On Obama’s order, bin Laden was terminated on May 2, 2011 by a Seal Team, in Pakistan. Anticipating Muslim outrage, in a move designed to placate them, he commanded that bin Laden be accorded a proper Muslim burial in an undisclosed location, at sea. But, evidently it is not well-known in the White House despite Obama’s affinity to Islam, that Muslims harbor thousand-year-old grudges against competing Muslim sects, blood feuds between tribes, families and individuals, not to mention infidels, which demand retribution. Anyone who has the mistaken impression that Muslims worldwide harbor no ill will for bin Laden’s death or those subjected to daily drone attacks does not understand.
The real cause of the explosive street violence was anger made possible by the Administration’s policies, not its Red Herring, “Innocence of Muslims.” Al Qaeda had planned coordinated attacks to occur on September 11th to shock the West and in an act of symbolism and retribution. Obama intentionally or otherwise threw fuel on the “video flames” by citing “Innocence of Muslims,” and that exacerbated Muslim street violence, but did not start it. That attackers used the insult to their prophet was gratuitous because Obama handed it to them and it fit precisely into their scenario.
Obama’s “apology chickens” are coming home to roost, his foreign policy is a complete disaster, the U.S. economy is in shambles; and like Nero “fiddling” while Rome burned, Obama smiles big and acts “cool” on Letterman and other hip shows. What may be “cool” for those who know little or nothing or are not paying attention is disastrous for the United States of America.
Semper Fidelis