OPINION:
As the Obama administration enters its final year, let’s recount its litany of foreign policy failures. These have included the misguided departure from Iraq; the destruction of a government in Libya and the descent into chaos of the remains of that country; the botched responses to events occurring in Syria; the failure to respond when Syrian leader Bashar Assad called President Obama’s bluff on the so-called “red line”; the continued existence of chemical weapons in Syria (despite Mr. Obama’s claim that these weapons were surrendered); the Islamic State and other terrorist organizations controlling massive sections of the Middle East, North Africa and even parts of Asia; and much more.
It is crystal clear that Guantanamo Bay’s continued existence is not a primary recruiting tool of terrorist organizations; indeed, the true recruiting tool is the clear and unambiguous message sent by the Obama administration that it will take no effective action to counter or thwart terrorism. In fact, this White House’s message has been that the United States wishes to withdraw from the field and leave it to these actors to take unopposed.
Telling the American people that the Islamic State is contained but that its continued existence is a result of Guantanamo Bay is another example of this administration’s public relations efforts to divert our attention away from its failures by trying to blame former President George W. Bush. This is akin to someone urinating on your foot and trying to convince you that your foot is getting wet because it is raining.
TERRY GERNSTEIN
McLean
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