Defining the Problem

Daryl

On 05 November 09 Major Nidal Hasan fatally shot 13 people and wounded 30 others. In order to prevent another such incident on US Soil, an investigation was launched. The report cited many different failures on the part of the Department of Defense and the FBI. The report defined the enemy. The Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs recommended that, “the DOD should define the enemy as Violent Islamist Extremism in order for the DOD to confront it effectively and efficiently.” Since the Fort Hood Massacre, violent Islamic Extremists have struck Boston, San Bernardino and recently Orlando.

​President Obama has defined the problem as an “Assault Rifle Problem.” In order to effectively deal with the “Assault Rifle Problem,” President Obama wants to make it difficult for people on the “No Fly List” to purchase “Assault Rifles.” He thinks that if someone is too dangerous to be on the “No Fly List” that it should be too difficult for him to purchase an “Assault Rifle.”

The other problem that President Obama defined is the use of the phrase, “Violent Islamist Extremism.” He says that using the aforementioned phrase is a recruiting tool for ISIL and disenfranchises everyday young Muslims. He states that it is a betrayal of the US towards Muslims to use such an ugly phrase. He states that there is no military purpose for using such a phrase.

Contrary to what Obama stated today, there is a military use for the phrase. The military use is allowing the military to confront the enemy quickly and effectively. The ones who are actually being betrayed are the families of the Fort Hood, Boston and Orlando victims. Lives were lost in Fort Hood and still Americans are dying at the hands of violent Islamic Terrorists. We can trust that we are likely to be betrayed yet again before next January. An investigation was completed in the aftermath of Fort Hood and President Obama thinks that he is wiser than the investigators. Maybe if he actually implemented the recommendations of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Boston, San Bernardino and Orlando could have been prevented?