Congressman Ryan Zinke (R-MT) is taking a front and center role, as Obama’s policies are placed in the spotlight following recent terror attacks in France. Meanwhile, late night comedian Jon Stewart goes after President Obama for dodging the rally in Paris.
From Politico’s Playbook:
LATE NIGHT BEST – “‘What the F—?!’ Jon Stewart Trashes Obama for Paris Rally Absence” – video: http://bit.ly/1Bhjt2h
Zinke on Fox: France terror attacks put spotlight on Obama policies
Watch the latest video at video.foxnews.com
Washington Free Beacon- Zinke: Obama Foreign Policy ‘Provides Fuel for Terrorism’; SEAL vet congressman says France should serve as wake-up call
Congress’ first Navy SEAL says that President Obama’s “reckless” foreign policy has emboldened Islamic terrorists to carry out deadly attacks in France and Australia.
Freshman Rep. Ryan Zinke (R., Mont.), a retired Navy commander, said that the administration’s handling of terrorist threats in the Middle East and the failure to combat the Islamic State (IS or ISIS) in Syria has left Western countries vulnerable to terrorist strikes.
Wall Street Journal: French Disconnection; What the Paris no-show says about the Obama Administration.
The other signal sent by his French omission is this Administration’s continuing failure to appreciate the nature and scope of the Islamist threat. The murders at Charlie Hebdo and the kosher deli were attacks on innocents and our ally France. But they also represent a political ideology that threatens Western freedom and civilization. The ostensible leader of the free world should want to show solidarity against such a profound menace that will require Western unity to defeat.
On Monday a reporter asked Mr. Earnest about a counterterrorism summit the White House is convening next month in the context of “the battle against Islamist extremism.” Mr. Earnest corrected that the conference would discuss “all forms of violent extremism,” the White House’s preferred euphemism. Like Mr. Obama’s Paris no-show, this reveals a startling and dangerous failure to be honest about radical Islam.
At least we can give the Administration credit for finally admitting they were wrong about something…
The Hill- White House: ‘It’s fair to say’ we were wrong on Paris unity rally
The White House said Monday that it made a mistake in not sending President Obama or a top administration official to the weekend unity march in Paris, a rare concession that it had botched the optics of an important international event.
“It’s fair to say we should have sent someone with a higher profile to be there,” White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters at his briefing, which was dominated by questions about the march.
Former Senator Joe Lieberman (D-CT) also writes this for The Wall Street Journal: A Global War on Radical Islam; Atrocities like those in Paris won’t stop until the civilized world mobilizes to wipe out the forces of violent jihad.
First, the civilized nations of the world must acknowledge that we are at war with violent Islamist extremism and that as long as these extremists continue to recruit, attack and expand territorially, the civilized world will continue to lose and the number and frequency of attacks like those in France will increase.
Second, every nation whose government or people have been attacked or threatened by Islamist terrorists should formally declare war against them. Congress should update the Authorization for Use of Military Force passed in the wake of 9/11 to grant the president broad authority to take action.
Third, the U.S., along with the world’s other great powers, should form and lead a global alliance against radical Islam. That alliance must include leading Islamic nations—Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, to name a few—because Muslims who do not share the extremist views of the terrorists constitute the largest number of its victims.