David Brooks, "How ISIS Makes Radicals": The Rise of ISIS Coincides With the Decline of Progressivism

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About a year ago, I wrote and sought to market an action screenplay, "The Hannibal Protocol," set in Lebanon and Syria, which examined the motivation of ISIS volunteers. Although the screenplay received good feedback from "The Black List" (I have no Hollywood connections), Hollywood would have none of it, believing, as did President Obama, that ISIS had been "contained."

Today, in an interesting New York Times op-ed entitled "How ISIS Makes Radicals," David Brooks examines the motivation of ISIS terrorists and asks how "the Islamic State is able to radicalize a couple living in Redlands, Calif." After presenting us with the tenets of "The True Believer," a 1951 book written by Eric Hoffer, Brooks offers advice as how best to respond to the threat from ISIS:

"The big thing that has changed in the past 60 odd years is that you don’t actually have to join a mass movement any more. You can follow it online and participate remotely.

The correct response is still the same, however. First, try to heal the social disintegration that is the seedbed of these movements. Second, offer positive inspiring causes to replace the suicidal ones. Third, mass movements are conquered when their charisma is destroyed, when they are defeated militarily and humiliated. Then they can no longer offer hope, inspiration or a plausible way out for the disaffected."

Heal the social disintegration among the tens of millions of alienated and impoverished Muslims in the Middle East, Europe, and now, in increasing numbers, the US, too? Good luck.

Offer Muslims a positive inspiring cause, i.e. pry them away from radical Islam? Sorry, but I don't think global warming will do the trick.

Defeat and humiliate ISIS? Obama had the chance; however, as so aptly stated by Lt. Col. Ralph Peters, America's president is a "total pussy." And as further observed by Stacey Dash, the president doesn't "give a shit" about terrorism. (Both Peters and Dash were suspended by Fox News for two weeks for their colorful assessments.)

Brooks fails to observe that the rise of ISIS coincides with the decline of Obama's mass movement for "Change." Regrettably, having sold his followers on the proposition that al-Qaeda and ISIS were on the run, the president finds himself incapable of rallying his troops to defeat "radical Islam," a threat that this false messiah claimed did not exist and still refuses to acknowledge.

Lt. Col. Ralph Peters Calls Obama a "Total Pussy": Give That Man a Full Bird

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Yesterday, Retired US Army Lt. Col. Ralph Peters stated on "Varney & Co." in response to Obama's Oval Office address on ISIS and the San Bernardino shootings (my emphasis in red):

"Well, first of all, he keeps speaking about 'we can't give into our fears.' You know, 'don't be afraid.' Look, Mr. President, we're not afraid. We're angry. We're pissed off. We're furious. We want to see you react. We want you to do something. You're afraid. I mean, this guy is such a total pussy, it's stunning. We the people, the American people, who he does not know in any intimate sort of manner. We want action. We want action against Islamic State and then when the president is telling us he is going to destroy ISIS. This is a president who has done more harm to American police departments than he has done to Islamic State. This is a president who restrains our military. He uses it not to defeat ISIS, but for political purposes for political cover. This is a president who doesn't want to hurt our enemies, this is a president who cares more about thugs in Guantanamo or thugs in Ferguson, Missouri, than he does about law-abiding American citizens and their right to live in safety and peace."

A stunning "total pussy"? Well, I would probably have said it differently. Instead I would have observed that Obama is a narcissist, who has surrounded himself with a coterie of bootlicking sycophants. Detached from reality and wedded to the insane notion that the world's most ghoulish tyrants are angels deep down inside, the president has irreparably damaged American credibility and deterrent power.

Although Peters deserves a full bird for his honesty, he was suspended by Fox News for two weeks. Mark my words, Lt. Colonel Peters: You will reemerge later this month with star power.

I would only observe in passing that Lt. Colonel Peters's "pussy" remark was quite tame compared with the outburst of Ahmed Moussa on Egyptian Sada El-Balad TV. As reported today by The Times of Israel in an article entitled "Egyptian TV presenter: ‘Impale’ Obama" by Lee Gancman:

"Obama, according to Moussa, 'numbs the security agencies, the military, and the intelligence agencies.' Obama is a liar, he charged, because 'all the allies of terrorism are liars.'

. . . .

Moussa said that he 'would like Congress to send Obama to the guillotine,' and later advocated for Americans to place the president on an impalement rod, because 'this what they would do in a respectful country.'"

Be labelled a pussy or be placed on an impalement rod? A hard decision, but I personally would prefer the former.