Armed terrorists killed at least nine today, injuring scores more, at the Olympia shopping mall in Munich, Germany. Following hard on the heels of 70-year-old GOP nominee Donald Trump’s acceptance speech in Cleveland last night, Trump warned about the growing Mideat terror attacks hitting Europe and the United States. Serving seven-and-half-years in office, President Barack Obama tried to change the subject given by Trump that terrorist attacks were on the rise. On the eve of the Democratic National Convention, the Munich attacks couldn’t be a worse story for 68-year-old Democratic presumptive nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton who, like Obama, must take responsibility for the state of world affairs, certainly for terrorist attacks hitting Europe and the United States. Last week’s horrific terror attack in Nice, France highlights the threat.
Killing 84, injuring 308 more, the July 14 Nice attack reminds the U.S. and European union of today’s vulnerability to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria [ISIS] and other terror groups. After pulling U.S. forces out of Iraq Dec. 15, 2011, Iraq became a terrorist haven, leading to the rise of ISIS, now plaguing the Mideast, North African, Europe and the U.S. By the time Obama decided to launch air strikes in Iraq.Aug. 8, 2014 and Syria Sept. 23, 2014, ISIS had seized some 30% of Iraq and Syria’s sovereign land, including Iraq and Syria’s second largest cities, Mosul and Raqqa, respectively. Terrorism had spiraled out of control for years before Obama woke up, obviously too late to have any leverage on ISIS. Shortly after Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton decided to topple Libya’s Col. Muammar Gaddafi Aug. 24, 2011, Libya was overrun with Islamic terrorists.
Fast-forwarding to Munich today, Obama-Clinton’s counter-terrorism policy failed to prevent ISIS and other terrorist groups from safe havens in Iraq, Syria, Libya and the Sinai Peninsula. Today’s Munich attack couldn’t be worse news for Hillary heading into Philadelphia. After dismissing Trump’s speech last night as “scare mongering,” voters are beginning to size up the reality of today’s terrorist threat. “This idea that America is somehow on the verge of collapse, this vision of violence and chaos everywhere, doesn’t really jibe with the experience of most people,” Obama told reporters with Mexican President Enrique Nieto at the White House. Obama’s attempt to minimize the terrorist threat or, even more bizarre, to discount the spate of officer-involved shootings of black suspects on American streets, is glaring attempt to ignore the problems before Philadelphia.
Obama’s recent public comments on officer-involved shootings, attributing them to “disparities” of racial treatment in the criminal justice system, gave groups like Black Lives Matter and other unhinged black militants the impetus to massacre law enforcement officers in Dallas and Baton Rouge. “I think it is important to be absolutely clear here: Some of the fears that were expressed throughout the week just don’t jibe with the facts,” said Obama, citing stats showing reductions in violent crime. With Dallas the worst police massacre in U.S. history, it hardly shows that American streets are safe from cop-killing thugs. Growing evidence reported on 24/7 cable-news make it more difficult for voters to believe Obama or their own eyes. Trump’s message to voters on domestic and foreign terrorism was clear: He will crackdown on any group sewing anarchy in American streets.
Reacting to today’s Munich massacre, Obama expressed his condolences to the victims, shot by terrorists like fish-in-a-barrel. Calling German “one of our closest allies,” promising “all of the support they [Germans] may need,” Obama offered another feckless response, as he did July 14 when ISIS ran a moving van through a busy pedestrian mall in Nice. Describing today’s incident “as possible terrorism,” German authorities know they’ve got a real terrorism problem, after an ax-wielding Afghan-born ISIS terrorist slashed travelers July 18 on a train near Wurzburg. Four days later, Munich’s struck by multiple terrorist wielding assault rifles. White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest acknowledged “the apparent terrorist attack,” raising more questions about Obama’s counter-terrorism strategy. Letting ISIS fester for three years before intervening in 2014, Barack sees the bleak outcome.
Heading into Philadelphia, today’s Munich massacre pulls the rug out from underneath Hillary’ attacks on Trump’s acceptance speech. While called “doom-and-gloom by Hillary-backers, Trump’s campaign Chairman Paul Manafort told the press Trump gave it to the public straight. Judging by post-speech polls, Trump scored some points with undecided voters. Neither Obama nor Hillary will admit that their counter-terrorism strategy backfired, giving ISIS too much time in Iraq and Syria to plot more terror attacks in Europe and the U.S. “We’re not going to make good decisions based on fears that don’t have a basis in fact,” said Barack, showing why he’s no longer credible with voters. Instead of doing damage control, Obama should take a hard look at where his counter-terrorism strategy has failed to keep U.S. citizens safe. Voters are paying closer attention to recent terrorist attacks.
