Know Thy Enemy

Timeless Wisdom


“One who knows the enemy and knows himself will not be endangered in a hundred agreements. One who does not know the enemy but knows himself will sometimes be victorious, sometimes meet with defeat. One who knows neither the enemy nor himself will invariably be defeated in every engagement [ . . . ] Thus it is said if you know them and know yourself, your victory will not be imperiled.” (Sun Tzu, The Art of War). Sun Tzu's wisdom seems to be ignored by current U.S. administration. In the wake of the Ft. Hood tragedy and the failed attack on NW Flight 253, can Americans expect their government to protect them from both internal and external threats? Or has political correctness and an inability to streamline intelligence reports with federal watch lists hamper national security?


The main question I want to raise is whether the current U.S. administration recognizes the true nature of our enemy. Do they really believe Al-Qaeda operatives are just "extremists" or are their ideological blinders blurring a correct interpretation of jihadist motivations? I like to believe that President Obama and his administration are still presenting a view of national security that has a correct understanding of the Al-Qaeda network. I like to believe that they have read, studied, thought about, discussed, and will base their future strategy on what Al-Qaeda leaders have said. These sound like basic elements of a sound and successful strategy toward terrorism; yet, the administration does not believe our current global conflict is a "War on Terror" or that Al-Qaeda are terrorists.


Our Current Strategy Must Change


President Obama's U.S. counter-terrorism strategy does not receive praise from many Americans because they recognize that his policies are weakening our national security: for example, Obama's attempt at closing Gitmo, exposing CIA operatives for conducting torture during interrogations, focusing on "right-wing" extremists as the real threats to domestic security, calling Al-Qaeda terrorists nothing more than violent extremists, having terror trials for the 9/11 masterminds in New York, not properly handling an act of domestic terrorism by Al-Qaeda operative Major. Hasan, and believing that Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab's failed terrorist act is simply an isolated incident. Americans and terrorists alike both recognize these steps are signs of weakness, not strength. They only embolden groups like Al-Qaeda and spread fear among Americans that the U.S. government is not truly protecting them.


Al Qaeda has admitted their responsibility behind the attempted Christmas Day bombing of NW flight 253. The Arabian Peninsula branch of Al-Qaeda claims the attempted bombing was a retaliatory strike stemming from a U.S.-led attack earlier this month on Yemeni Al-Qaeda operatives. Regrettably, this attempted bombing on NW Flight 253 could have been entirely avoided: stopping Umar from gaining access to an international flight by understanding the numerous red flags (him being on a federal terrorist watch list, his dad claiming Umar's radicalism, him buying a one-way ticket with cash and having no carry on bags, etc). We have all heard the list of red flags by now.

Never Forget Who We Fight


What we all must remember is Al-Qaeda's goal of destroying the West, America in particular, by having flexible and ever-changing strategies to avoid detection. No full-body screeners or extra security measures will truly make America and the world safe; only strategies that are based upon the recognition of Al-Qaeda's complex nature will make our world secure. Their whole philosophy of conducting terrorist attacks are linked, not isolated, in that their aims are to economically, pyschologically, and physcially damage their enemies. Their leaders, Osama bin Laden and Dr. Zawahiri, abhor moderate Muslims. They believe that Muslims can kill their own non-Muslim family members, believe it is obligatory to overthrow nations that do not follow Shariah law, and regard offensive jihad as a basic tenet of Islam. Al Qaeda can achieve their goals by pulling off multiple attacks like September 11th, 2001 or a single mission such as the attempted massacre on NW Flight 253. Frank Gaffney, from the Center for Security Policy, accurately explains Al-Qaeda's global mission while Janet Napolitano and President Obama fail to comprehend Al-Qaeda's nature.


Looking Forward


This War on Terror is at a crossroads. Al-Qaeda continues to plan attacks on America and her allies. Their is no denying this. Despite President Obama's idealistic national security strategy toward the Muslim world, Umar's attempt to destroy NW flight 253 shows how young men continue to radicalize. His radicalization is a clear rejection of Obama's attempt to reach out to Muslims. President Obama and his administration must re-think their strategy toward Al-Qaeda and figure out the security/intelligence failures that occurred. We must learn from our these mistakes, hold our government accountable, and demand leadership against terrorism. America cannot fail and it cannot falture. We must work with other countries to prevent attacks from occurring. Our survival depends on it.

Is the Senate Health Care Bill Constitutional?

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exericse thereof.." (Amendment I to U.S. Constitution)

So, I have been thinking about the legality of the current health care bill (the Senate version) for weeks. As a Catholic, I follow Church teaching that explicity forbids abortion. In the U.S. Constitution, the first amendment clearly states that Congress shall make no law prohibiting the free exercise of religion. Clearly, if the current Senate version becames law and forces taxpayers to pay for elective abortions, isn't this a violation of the 1st Amendment? Or is there some way the Congress can avoid what is explicity stated in the 1st Amendment?

Lingering Questions about Afghanistan

President Obama’s Afghanistan speech outlined an ill-conceived strategy for our country and only encouraged our enemies to muddle through until late 2011 to once again re-emerge. I support sending more troops to Afghanistan and the pressure he wants to place on Pakistan. Yet, President Obama should have listened to General McCrystal’s recommendation of 60,000 – 80,000 troops to ensure a low-risk strategy.

Also, he should not have explained our game plan to our enemies: when troops will begin pulling out, what markers of progress there will be, and the short time span given to train Afghan police. Our enemies (Al Qaeda and the Taliban) understand Sun Tzu concepts in his masterpiece “The Art of War.” They recognize that they can lay low, wait until American troops withdraw, and then attack after a perceived U.S. victory in late 2011. They know the art of deception; it is their modus operandi.

As far as the Afghan army, how long will it take the U.S military to properly and effectively train them? Will they be able to resist the Taliban if they re-emerge with only 18 (maybe 15 once additional troops actually arrive) months of additional training? Will the Afghan people, whose hearts and minds we seek to win over, continue to support the U.S. coalition? The Afghan people know that as soon as America pre-maturely pull outs of Afghanistan the Taliban will sweep in and once again brutalize them. We can only hope this new strategy accounts for these questions and that we can continue to beat back terrorists who threaten our country, our military, and our values.

Thoughts on Ft. Hood

Major Hasan’s motivations are very troubling and appear to be similar to other “Al Qaeda sympathizers.” A few months ago Abdulhakim Mujahid Muhammad shot two military recruiters in Arkansas. One of these recruiters was fatally wounded. Abdulhakim, who converted to Islam, told authorities that his reason for shooting these recruiters was his disapproval of U.S. policies toward Muslims.[1] The Abdulhakim Mujahid Muhammad case is one example of what Sara Carter calls “sudden jihad syndrome.” She explains how this “syndrome” poses a great risk to America’s domestic security: “Sympathy for al Qaeda has produced ‘sudden jihad syndrome’ in domestic terror cells unaffiliated with foreign terrorists and people seeking to carry out attacks in the U.S. […] The intelligence analysis says homegrown groups are not purely “domestic,” as their ideology is similar if not exactly like those of international terrorist groups, and cited examples such as the Lackawanna Six.”[2]

As with Abdulhakim, I am not sure whether Hasan is directly linked to Al Qaeda or other terrorist groups. There is still much to decipher about Hasan's motivations despite his sympathy for suicide bombers and his disgruntlement over the military’s role in Afghanistan and Iran. Both men, however, became radicalized Al Qaeda sympathizers and emerged as “home-grown terrorists.” They bought into a violent and global Islamic jihadist movement that seeks to empower localized terrorism within the United States.

The scary part of these “sympathizers” is that they appear to be increasing. Over the past few years there have been other foiled attacks by similar people adhering to jihadist principles (the Fort Dix Plot, the Lackawanna Six, and the group of jihadists found in North Carolina a few months ago). Has anyone heard about Abdulhakim’s case recently? We can no longer ignore these kinds of threats. They are as serious as those that directly follow terrorist groups like Al Qaeda. Our policies must be structured to find these “Al Qaeda sympathizers” before they attack us. This policy seems like common sense but it also appears that Hasan openly criticized the military’s role in Afghanistan and Iraq, called the War on Terror a War on Islam, and expressed empathy for suicide bombers. These red flags can’t be ignored again.

[1] Bob Drogin, “THE NATION; Taking the pulse of extremist groups; Is domestic terrorism on the rise? Is there a trend in the recent violence? Experts on the subject disagree.” Los Angeles Times, (June 2009).
[2] Sara Carter, “‘Sudden jihad syndrome’” posed domestic risk: Report warns against dismissing al Qaeda sympathizers.” The Washington Times, (Jan. 2008).

Real Reform?

For those who have not been glued to CSPAN or the news, the House version of healthcare reform passed last night, 220-215. This was another step toward a government-run healthcase system (aka. the public option). Just before this vote, the House also approved the Stupak-Pitts Amendment ensuring that abortion would not be covered by this House version of healthcare reform. At the very least, I hope this Amendment stays in the Healthcare bill, if it gets to President Obama's desk. There is still a long way to go and those with practical, deficit decreasing, and common sense reforms can still work to stop a bill that increases government's power. This leads me to my next point that some wonder: why do I oppose the House version of healthcare reform?

There are a few reasons:

- The essense of the bill: The Government gaining even more power than it already has after bailouts, a stimulus package, and the takeover of automobile companies and banks.
- Its Cost - how much will it really cost (1.2 Trillion? 1.5 Trillion? 2 Trillion or more?) and who will have to pay for it. Is it just a tax on the rich? Or will the middle class inevitably have to pay for it? Remember, the basic economic principle: there is no such thing as a free lunch.
- Will Abortions be covered? I know the Stupak-Pitts Amendment seeks to block federal funding for abortions but will this amendment be stripped when the Senate bill (if it makes it to Reconcilation) and House bill are reconcilied?
- Will there be any kind of Tort Reform?
- Will Illegal Immigrants be covered?
- How many government agencies will be created for support this bill?

These are the questions which makes me disapprove of the House version. There are others but these are the main ones. The fact is I have not read the 2,000+ page bill. Who has? Seriously. I am really concerned that whatever final version of Healthcare reform that gets to President Obama's desk will not be deficit neutral but a massive increase of our national debt over the next few years and beyond.

Yes, there are problems will our current healthcare system. It would be ideal for every legal American citizen to have healthcare. Yet, I know two things for sure: 1. The Government is never the solution, and 2. there is no such thing as a free lunch.
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6 Weeks Left...

Dad and I have been doing P90X for about 8 weeks now which means that we only have about 6 weeks left. If you have not heard, P90X is a 90-day workout/diet plan focused on muscle confusion; there are 12 different workouts including plyometrics, kick-boxing, yoga, and all different push-ups, fly presses, and pull-ups. It has been a test for both of us. Yet, I think both of us are in the best shape in a long time. For those who wish to perform this 90 day plan be prepared. It tests every part of your body and mind. I think the diet is easily the hardest part because it takes discipline and determination to resist Mom's good baking!! I encourage those who have a real desire to improve their fitness/health and 3 months to sacrifice sweets, to do this program. You do not have to do P90X to lose weight (thats me) since it increases your flexibility, agility, and discipline. This workout plan is no doubt Xtreme.

"Never Again"...Never Forget

As I reflect upon the eight years since 9/11, I can't help but remember and pray for those who lost their lives and for those who give their lives to defend America. We truly can never forget this day but always remember those who we lost. This should be a day of remembrance and prayer rather than a day of service.

Global terrorism continues to threaten freedom, liberty, and democratic values today. We must pray for all those men and women that put themselves in harm's way to defend these principles, especially the American soldier.

During my time as a Master's student, I studied the global jihadist network. I can tell you that this threat is still very, very real. America has been quite fortunate in that there has not been another large-scale terrorist attack on its soil since 9/11. Our country's leaders were determined to "never again" allow a 9/11-scale attack to occur. This phrase, "Never Again," was in fact the exact message that President Bush gave then-Attorney General John Ashcroft in the days following September 11th. This phrase highlights the post-9/11 mentality of our military, our intelligence forces, and our citizenry. We must remain vigilant about the global jihadist threat that we still face while supporting our military and intelligence services in fighting terrorism.

May God Bless those who sacrifice themselves to protect America and who work to safeguard life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

I leave you with a link of Toby Keith's song, "American Soldier." Great song!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyJTIXKI1mA

The Beauty of Fidelity

This past week I picked up a copy of National Review. Inside was an article from Duncan Currie titled “Five Decades of Crisis.” Currie discusses the nonmarital childbirth crisis from the 1940’s until 2007. Though I hate to accept that our current problems (healthcare reform, GITMO detainee treatments, global warming) are crises, I believe that Currie’s portrayal of the rise in non-martial births is a real crisis.

Last summer, I interned at the Family Research Council. In my time at the FRC, I was educated in family and social policy but for some reason I did not fully comprehend this rise in out of wedlock birthrates (possibly because the statistics that Currie uses from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) were released earlier this year). I knew that the family, the fundamental building block for society, was under attack but not to the extent that Currie describes. For some perspective, let’s examine some statistics from “Five Decades of Crisis.” Currie explains that “In 1940, fewer than 4 percent of all U.S. births were to unmarried women. [. . .] The share of births of outside marriage climbed from 10.7 percent in 1970, to 18.4 percent in 1980, to 28 percent in 1990, to 33.2 percent in 2000, and to 39.7 percent in 2007.” 39.7 percent in 2007 from a mere 4 percent in 1940. WOW!! This still seems unfathomable.

Yet, is it really hard to fathom in our culture where fidelity and marriage are taken for granted? Recently, I was flying from Atlanta to Naples, FL to visit my sister, her family, and some college friends when I overheard a conversation between two men. One of them (probably in his early 30’s) noticed a guy wearing one of those “GAME OVER” shirts. You know the one with the bride and groom on their wedding day. The guy in his early 30’s seemed to agree with this shirt’s message in that men will lose their freedom if they get married. This led me to wonder why people are afraid of being married. Do they think that they feel trapped like the kid wearing the “GAME OVER” shirt at the airport?

My guess is that many people lack a full understanding of how beautiful marriage can be especially when both spouses are faithful toward each other. They may come from broken families or never received genuine love from their parents. They may not comprehend that the ultimate self-giving aspect of love between man and women should be unconditional, pure, patient, humble, faithful, self-less and most of all a spiritual union where man and woman become one flesh in the sacrament of matrimony. Marriage is not a restricting commitment but rather one of the most extremely gratifying ones that a human being can be a part of. Our culture needs to be re-educated in this spiritual view of marriage. I believe that if more people truly understood the beauty of fidelity within marriage, more individuals would desire this one-flesh union. Nonmarital birth rates would decline, family structures would be strengthened, and our culture would be renewed.