Obama On National Security: Hear No Evil and the Buck Stops Elsewhere

Ever since President Obama gave his '60 Minutes' interview and, basically, threw his national security team under the bus by claiming that "they" (not him) underestimated the ISIS threat, we have been seeing stories that expose a rather careless attitude by him on matters of national security.

However, even before the interview, there was that infamous JayVee team reference that he made about ISIS.  This was  8 months ago in January and it came just after ISIS flew their Black Flag over Fallujah.  This, again, after they had made massive gains in Syria and were on their way to Ramadi and Mosul.  Obviously, the taking of Fallujah should have been anyone's wake-up call since it had been one of the longest and bloodiest battles that our Marines fought in all of the Iraq war.  But ISIS was able to take that town in short order.  Not hardly a JayVee effort in contrast to our well trained Marines.

Then, since the '60 Minutes' comment, the DailyMail exposed the fact that Obama knew of the rising threat of ISIS prior to the 2012 elections.  Yet, because that threat didn't square with his Al Qaeda-on-the-run stump speeches, there was no effort to alert Americans to the threat or to take any action. 

Now, we find out from a report by the Government Accounting Institute, that the President only attends 42% of his Presidential Daily Briefings where he would have been informed of any national security issues.  I guess fundraising, speeches, and golf outings were more important than hearing about ISIS and other threats that we face.  Maybe that's why Obama is always being blindsided by scandals and international incidents and has to respond with a weak comment like: The first I heard of it is when you all head of it.

Our dedicated national security personnel are really upset with the President not owning up to having known about the ISIS threat.  In essence, his comment can easily be interpreted as him calling them incompetent.  And, if they didn't get it right on ISIS, shouldn't heads roll?  Doesn't this also mean that the Intel we're getting on other bad guy countries such as Iran, North Korea, Syria, Russia, etc. might also be underestimated?  And, if that be true, isn't America at serious risk?

My guess is that Obama was told but, chose not to hear.  This is a huge problem with this President.  As many have said, he sees the world the way he thinks it should be and not how it really is.  That's a clear recipe for disaster.

References:

Obama: “They underestimated” ISIS: http://hotair.com/archives/2014/09/29/obama-they-underestimated-isis/

Jihadist ISIS captures Fallujah from Iraqi forces: http://english.al-akhbar.com/node/18112

Al-Qaeda force captures Fallujah amid rise in violence in Iraq: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/al-qaeda-force-captures-fallujah-amid-rise-in-violence-in-iraq/2014/01/03/8abaeb2a-74aa-11e3-8def-a33011492df2_story.html

Obama has had accurate intelligence about ISIS since BEFORE the 2012 election, says administration insider: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2774122/Obama-accurate-intelligence-ISIS-BEFORE-2012-election-says-administration-insider.html

Government Accountability Institute Report: Presidential Daily Briefs: A Time - Based Analysis: http://www.g-a-i.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/GAI-Report-PDB-Update-9.29.2014.pdf

Obama Dismisses Al-Qaeda Resurgence: They’re JV: http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/01/20/obama-dismisses-al-qaeda-resurgence-theyre-jv/

 'We did not know': 9 times the Obama administration was blindsided: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/06/20/obama-administration-caught-by-surprise/

In the Dark: Obama, Staff Learn of Scandals From News Reports: http://www.newsmax.com/Headline/Obama-scandals-media/2014/07/11/id/582216/

Is Obama's Al Qaeda 'JayVee' Comment Coming Back To Haunt Him?

Just 7 months ago, when asked about the black Al Qaeda flags flying over Falluja, Iraq, the flip Obama said this:

“The analogy we use around here sometimes, and I think is accurate, is if a JayVee team puts on Lakers uniforms that doesn’t make them Kobe Bryant.”

Well, specifically, the group flying those flags was ISIS/ISIL or as they are simply known today: the Islamic State or IS. Today, that supposed 'JayVee' team has much of eastern Syria and the north-northeastern area of Iraq under their control. Now their threatening American lives and starving Christian religious groups who are trapped on a mountain. So, we are forced to bomb IS in Iraq in order to protect Americans and non-Muslims who's lives are being threatened.  As usual, the President appears to look at the world through his personal pair of rose colored glasses.  As a result, he is repeatedly caught off guard by growing crises; whether they be in the Ukraine, Libya, Syria, Gaza or, now, with IS in Iraq.  

The "JayVee" statement clearly reveals why this President is so weak when it comes to foreign policy.  The latest NBC/Wall Street Journal poll, shows only 36% of those polled (nationally) give Obama a thumbs up on foreign policy.  Most think of him as a failure.

References:

Obama on Al Qaeda Groups: ‘If a Jayvee Team Puts on Lakers Uniforms, That Doesn’t Make Them Kobe’: http://www.mediaite.com/online/obama-on-al-qaeda-groups-if-a-jayvee-team-puts-on-lakers-uniforms-that-doesnt-make-them-kobe/

Poll: Obama sinks on foreign policy: http://www.politico.com/story/2014/08/poll-barack-obama-sinks-foreign-policy-109743.html

U.S. will use airstrikes to avert genocide in Iraq, Obama says: http://www.latimes.com/world/middleeast/la-fg-iraq-us-humanitarian-aid-20140807-story.html