The West Point Speech

What do you make of the West Point speech?

The usual pundits seem to think our President is acknowledging that what we have here, is not a man-made disaster, but rather a real war on terror. He did not say that. I don't think he meant that. Obama had to acknowledge a threat to justify increasing troop levels in Afghanistan. Then he dismissed it all, with a date for withdrawal.

Here's more that I find odd:

He "reminded" us that Islam is one of the world's "greatest religions," and that we have forged a new beginning between America and the Muslim World – one that recognizes our mutual interest in breaking a cycle of conflict.

Really? I don't think so. Where is the explanation, Mr. President, of how you have done this. Nothing has changed in the Muslim world. Most Americans are infidels. Radical Islam is planning our deaths. We saw that at Fort Hood, and our President would not call it what it was - 14 murders at the hand of a radical Islamiscist. It is known as jihad. He has done nothing...nothing to quell radical Islam, just as no Islamic country has done anything to quell radical Islam.

He said combat troops will be gone from Iraq by summer 2010 and all troops will be gone by the end of 2011. He said that he will send 30,000 additional troops to Afghanistan, and they will begin to return from Afghanistan in 18 months. He said he is giving the troops what they need to "seize the initiative." You and I know, that he doesn't know this to be true. He has set a definite timeline and radical Islam is nothing if not patient.

After telling the enemy when we will leave, he outlined the battle we are facing, and he got this right, at least in part:

"no idle danger, no hypothetical threat."

"This danger will only grow if the region slides backwards, and al Qaeda can operate with impunity."

Since 9/11, al Qaeda’s safe-havens have been the source of attacks against London and Amman and Bali.

We must keep the pressure on al Qaeda. ...we know that al Qaeda and other extremists seek nuclear weapons, and we have every reason to believe that they would use them.

I make this decision because I am convinced that our security is at stake in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The security of the U.S. and the American people is at stake.

He said the struggle against violent extremism will not be finished quickly, and it extends well beyond Afghanistan and Pakistan. He said that the dangers to a free society "involve disorderly regions and diffuse enemies. He is loathe to speak it - that the disorderly regions and diffuse extremism comes only from Muslim countries.

President Obama ignored that 9-11-01 changed everything, forever. The battle with radical Islam will not end, and it will not be over in 18 months - and especially not in Afghanistan or Pakistan. This is an unending battle and we ignore it at our peril.

Obama talked to this young group of cadets about the economic problems we face and the burden of the cost of the war..."we simply cannot afford to ignore the price of these wars."

That is a real confidence builder. We are facing "no idle danger and he is "convinced" our security is at state, but "we simply cannot afford to ignore the price of these wars." In my opinion, this conversation had no place in this speech - it was inappropriate conversation on a night when he speaks of the importance of this war, and the risks if it is not won.

He talked about his quest to end the threat of weapons of mass destruction, and his goal to achieve a world without them - yet, he cannot stand up to Iran. His diplomacy cannot convince Russia and China to stand up to Iran. Obama believes that "true security" will come for those who will reject WMD. And who will that be? Those days are gone. Terrible weapons are a reality, and I pray that ours our "more terrible" than theirs. I pray that we have the courage to use them, if it is absolutely necessary - and that we have the wisdom to know that time.

So, the question to President Obama is - what happens when you realize that not only can you not tamp down the aggression in 18 months, but what happens when you realize that we will never again be without the threat of attack from radical Islam.