New Warnings, ISIS Mocks Obama, ISIS Here, Homeland InSecurity

Monday, September 22, 2014

ISIS Issues New Warning 

ISIS thugs released more jihadist videos in recent days. Late Friday, a propaganda video, titled "Flames of War," appeared showing a mass execution of prisoners. CNN notes that toward the end of the nearly hour-long film, the Arabic speaker "seamlessly switches to English." But this time the speaker didn't sound British. His accent was either American or Canadian. He also takes part in the execution of unarmed prisoners.

A second video appeared Sunday featuring ISIS spokesman Abu Muhammad al Adnani, who urges Muslims in America and in nations allied with us to kill the infidels: 
 

"O America, O allies of America, and O crusaders, know that the matter is more dangerous than you have imagined and greater than you have envisioned. We have warned you that today we are in a new era. …If you can kill a disbelieving American or European … kill him in any manner or way however it may be."

ISIS Mocks Obama 

Much of al Adnani's message was devoted to mocking Barack Obama, including his supposed war strategy. But he also lashed out at the oft-repeated statements by Obama and Kerry that there is nothing Islamic about the Islamic State.

We have pointed out before the oddity of Western liberals lecturing the world on the "true" nature of Islam and why the Islamic State doesn't represent the "religion of peace." How do Kerry and Obama credibly claim to know more about Islam than the Islamists? 

I had suggested that Obama and Kerry sounded like "Muslim missionaries." Now even ISIS says they sound like muftis and sheikhs standing up for Islam. Noting that Obama had defended Islam "during six different addresses he made in the span of a single month," Al Adnani said: 
 

"They [Obama and Kerry] turned into Islamic jurists, muftis, sheikhs, and preachers, standing up for Islam and the Muslims, so it appears that they no longer have confidence in the ability or sincerity of their sorcerers…"

Border Security IS National Security 

One of the most serious threats posed by ISIS is the danger of radicalized Muslims going overseas to train and fight, and then returning home as battle-hardened jihadists to commit acts of terrorism here. Intelligence officials estimate that perhaps as many as 300 Americans may be fighting with radical Islamists overseas. What has been less clear -- until now -- is how many, if any, may have returned to the United States. 

Rep. Timothy Bishop (D-NY) told a shocked audience that as many as 40 radicalized Americans who went overseas to wage jihad are now back in the country. According to Bishop, they are currently under FBI surveillance. These 40 individuals could well be part of sleeper cells who may be activated by remarks like those from Abu Muhammad al Adnani.

Meanwhile the U.S. Border Patrol reports that so far this year more than 470 illegal immigrants from nations linked to terrorism have been caught trying to enter the country. We know that for every illegal captured many others get through. If we captured 474, it is plausible that 1,000 individuals from such countries got in. 

The rumor mill in Washington is abuzz with reports that Obama will soon grant refugee status to tens of thousands of Syrians and bring them into the U.S. More than 130,000 Syrians have applied for refugee status, and earlier this year, Obama relaxed immigration rules intended to keep terrorists out in order to let more Syrians in. If we're having trouble sorting the good rebels from the bad rebels, I have little confidence we can sort out those refugees who may in fact be jihadists. 

Shouldn't this be a matter of urgent public debate? Even if these individuals are not card-carrying members of Al Qaeda or ISIS, polling has shown that many individuals in majority-Muslim nations have a deep-seated hatred of Judeo-Christian values. 

Our elites continue to demand immigration reform. But common sense dictates that we have a right and an obligation to make sure those coming to this country are here for the right reasons. 

Homeland InSecurity? 

If these reports were not disturbing enough, there is news today that morale is collapsing among those charged with protecting our homeland security. Morale may be sky high among the bureaucrats at the EPA or Department of Education, where billions of tax dollars are being funneled to favorite left-wing causes. But morale is "abysmal" at the Department of Homeland Security. 

We have heard from friends at the Pentagon that morale there has been at rock bottom for some time. We told you Friday about the growing rift between Obama and our top military commanders. 

Today's Washington Post reports that senior officials at the Department of Homeland Security are leaving at "a rate nearly twice as fast as in the federal government overall." As a result, the department is struggling to "to stay ahead of a range of emerging threats."

Some of the terms used to describe the department created to keep us safe after 9/11 include: "dysfunctional work environment," "abysmal morale," "a toxic culture," "unstable leadership." 

I'm sure it won't surprise anyone that border security and immigration also fall under the purview of this dysfunctional, toxic and unstable department.