President Obama's Speech on Drone Policy

To acknowledge that Americans are war-weary is an understatement. To acknowledge that the cost of the War on Terror is at an astronomical level is an understatement.  To acknowledge that many Americans are very concerned about the increasing use of drones, from the sterile and lethal strikes on suspected terrorist targets and anyone caught within the blast zone, to the specific attacks on American citizens is also an understatement. But these facts are just some blinding glimpses of the obvious. Most civilized societies and their governments would agree to the above listed statements.

The problem is that we are not dealing with civilized societies and established governments. We are dealing with people who follow a religious theology that demands that Islam be the only religion and the adherence to sharia law a way of life. It is preferable in our government and with most of our media outlets to relegate all of the heinous acts to only a few people who we declare have “hijacked a peaceful religion”.  This then begs the question, why haven’t the vast majority of Muslims forsaken these extremists and called them out for their actions? Why haven’t fatwa’s been issued against the terrorists? When a British soldier is hacked and butchered on the street why is the only concern by the local Muslim community a fear of retaliation on them by enraged non-Muslims? The answer is obvious. The Muslim communities know these murderers are following the guidelines of the Koran and sharia.

To say that it is precarious and presumptive to stop the current war we are in is an understatement. The terrorists were at war with us in the first bombing of the World Trade Center. They were at war with us when the USS Cole was attacked, and they were at war with us on 9-11. Just because we did not acknowledge it did not make it any different or less deadly. It will not be up to the United States or President Obama to decide when our long ordeal with these terrorists is over, unless of course, his decision is to surrender.