Obama is Gambling with our Security

The Islamic State attacks Paris

On the evening of November 13, 2015, a series of coordinated Islamic terrorist attacks, involving of mass shootings, suicide bombings, and hostage-taking, occurred in Paris, France, and its northern suburb, Saint-Denis. It started with three suicide bombings outside stadium in Saint-Denis, along with another suicide bombing and mass shootings at four locations in Paris. The attacks were the deadliest on France since World War II and the deadliest in the European Union since the Madrid, Spain train bombings in 2004.

The casualties were highest at the Bataclan theatre, where the Islamic State terrorists took hostages. The attacks killed at least 130 people; 89 of those were at the Bataclan theatre. In addition, 368 people were wounded; 352 of them were admitted to hospital with injuries sustained in the attacks, including between 80 and 99 who were critically injured. Seven of the attackers also died, while French authorities killed other terrorists involved in the November 13 massacre the following days. On November 18, 2015, the suspected mastermind of the attacks, Abdelhamid Abaaoud of Belgium, was killed in a raid by French police.

Abdelhamid Abaaoud of Belgium, who planned the attacks in Paris, was killed in a raid by French police.

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) also called ISIS, claimed responsibility for the attacks. French President François Hollande said the attack was “an act of war” by ISIL “planned in Syria, organized in Belgium, perpetrated on our soil with French complicity.” France, which is part of the U.S. coalition fighting the Islamic State, had been bombing various targets in the Middle East, including Syria, since October 2015. ISIL’s stated motive was retaliation for French involvement in the Syrian and Iraqi Civil Wars. France had been on high alert since the January 2015 terrorist attack of the staff of Charlie Hebdo Magazine and other attacks in Paris that killed 17 people, including civilians and police officers.

In response, a state of emergency was declared for three months and temporary controls were placed on the country’s borders. On November 15, 2015, France launched its largest single airstrike hitting targets in Al-Raqqah, in retaliation for the Paris attacks.

The House of Representatives voted for increased screening requirements for refugees

One of the Paris Islamic terrorists entered Europe by posing as a Syrian refugee. This situation created concerns among of many Americans, governors of many states, and members of Congress, in view of the 10,000 Syrian refugees that President Barack Obama is planning to allow entering the United States. Intelligence agencies have stated that there would probably be some al-Qaida and Islamic State terrorists posing as refugees. The increasing out-of-touch and irresponsible President Obama, who is supported by Hillary Clinton, said that the Syrian refugees will not present a danger to the United States and severely criticized Republicans.

The House of Representatives disagreed with our incompetent president. On November 19, 2015, in a resounding defeat for the Obama administration, the House of Representatives voted 289-137 supporting new screening requirements on refugees from Syria and Iraq before they can enter the United States. Forty-seven Democrats defied President Obama’s veto threat and supported the bill.

The 47 Democrats who voted for the bill included centrist Democrats who are engaged in tough reelection races. Two Republicans voted against the bill, Representatives Walter Jones from North Carolina and Steve King from Iowa. The bill will now go to the Senate, where it may face a tougher path to passage. Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid from Nevada promised to block the House legislation. Democrats in the Senate have been divided over the issue.

The House of Representative H.R. 4038 bill is called the American Security Against Foreign Enemies (SAFE) Act. The legislation would prevent refugees from Syria or Iraq from entering the United States until the FBI, Department of Homeland Security, and Director of National Intelligence certify that none of them are dangerous. Refugees would only be admitted with the unanimous agreement of the FBI, DHS, and Director of National Intelligence.

House Speaker Paul Ryan defied the president and supported legislation for new screening requirements on refugees from Syria and Iraq before they can enter the United States.

House Speaker Paul Ryan, Republican from Wisconsin, stated the following: “If our law enforcement and our intelligence community cannot verify that each and every person is not a security threat, then they shouldn’t be allowed in. We cannot and we should not wait to act. Not when our national security is at stake.”

President Obama has continued to blast Republicans over the legislation. He argued that keeping out Syrian refugees fleeing terrorism and war in their country was an affront to American values. Obama stated that if the bill reaches his desk, he will veto it since the legislation will impose new certification requirements that would effectively end the refugee program.

If the bill is blocked in the Senate, House Republicans have said that they would vote against a spending bill that does not contain provisions stopping the refugee program. Those threats raise the possibility of a major showdown over the issue that could lead to a government shutdown. Congress must pass legislation by December 11, 2015 to keep the government open.

Some refugees who entered the United States become terrorists

Ben Ashford wrote an article entitled “America’s enemies within: How nearly seventy have been arrested in America over ISIS plots in last 18 months – including refugees who had been given safe haven but turned to terror” which was published in the London newspaper Daily Mail on November 18, 2015. Ashford pointed out the following:

• Federal and local law enforcement agencies have made dozens of arrests of men and women suspected of ISIS involvement.
• Analysis has shown that those arrested included individuals who entered the United States as refugees.
• There is increasing pressure from Republicans not to accept refugees from Syria on the scale demanded by the White House.
• Ted Cruz plans to introduce legislation forbidding refugee status to Syrian Muslims and moves also under way to defund settling refugees.

Ashford pointed out that U.S. authorities have indicted at least 66 men and women with Islamic State or ISIS-related terror plots in the United States – including a handful of refugees. The terror group has set its sights on Washington, D.C., New York and other cities as it vows to further infiltrate the West and continue its blood-soaked offensive.

In spite of this present and clear threat to the national security, President Barack Obama has said that “slamming the door” on Syrian refugees fleeing ISIS would be a betrayal of American values. He has also criticized Republicans for saying the obvious, namely, that Obama’s FBI and all intelligence agencies have pointed out that there are members of ISIS and al-Qaida who have infiltrated the refugee population. The president and some Democrats have called unfairly and irresponsibly Republicans to be xenophobic for wanting to protect the national security.

All polls have shown that Americans are opposed 2 to 1 to bring Syrian refugees to the United States. The Rasmussen poll of November 19, 2015 indicated that 60% of Likely U.S. Voters oppose the settling of Syrian refugees in the state where they live. Just 28% favor their state taking in those refugees. Eleven percent (11%) of voters are undecided.

Additionally, 34 Republican and Democratic governors have refused to bring refugees into their states, in case jihadi Islamic terrorists enter into their states and repeat the carnage of Paris. Florida’s governor said in an interview with Shawn Hannity on FoxNews on November 18, 2015 that he needs to protect “20 million Floridians and 100 million tourists” from terrorists.

Ashford stated the following: “An analysis by the Daily Mail Online indicated that a handful of foiled plots have already involved immigrants accused of harboring sympathy for ISIS. The threat also comes from within, with American teenagers and Islamic converts among those seduced by the group’s torrent of chilling online propaganda. The Islamic terrorists include a U.S. Air Force veteran accused of waging war on the country he once served and a National Guard soldier who allegedly plotted to gun down his own fellow soldiers.  Others are seemingly ordinary U.S. citizens, including a young nurse, a pizza parlor boss and schoolgirls tricked into becoming shrouded ISIS brides.”

Bosnian refugees become terrorists 

Ashford indicated that some Muslims have conspired to travel or send friends abroad to link up with ISIS Islamic terrorist fighters while others have planned for jihad closer to home – with Capitol Hill among the targets for a foiled bombing raid.  The incidents which are detailed in his article are among dozens disrupted by police and federal agents since ISIS began to expand due to the Syrian civil war.  The earliest arrest was 18 months ago. They include several Bosnian refugees who aided U.S. enemies with cash for purchasing weapons and equipment.

Husband and wife ‘terror’ team: Ramic Hodzic (left) and his wife Sedina (right) both of St Louis, Missouri, face trial over allegations that they gathered cash to buy military equipment for ISIS fighters in Syria.

Ashford explained the following: “The group conspired via phone, Facebook and email using innocuous code words such as ‘beach’ for places like Iraq and Syria. They fled the war in Yugoslavia to enjoy new lives in the US – but are now accused of conspiring to help its deadliest enemies.”

Ashford pointed out that six Bosnian refugees, three from Missouri, two from Illinois and one from New York, were charged in February 2015 for sending money and military equipment to extremist groups in Syria, including ISIS and the Al Qaeda-affiliated Al-Nusra Front.  Among the accused are Ramiz Zjad Hodzic, 40, and his wife Sedina, 35, who allegedly gathered money to purchase military uniforms and tactical gear so they could send them to fighters in Syria. In addition, Armin Harcevic, 37, Nihad Rosic, 26, and Mediha Medy Salkicevic, 34, are all facing trial. One of them, Jasminka Ramic, 42, pleaded guilty in October 2015.

Bosnian Nihad Rosic (left) and Jasminka Ramic (right), who has pleaded guilty.

According to court documents, the group conspired via phone, Facebook and email using innocuous code words such as ‘beach’ for places like Iraq and Syria while using PayPal and Western Union to send funds to fanatics. The U.S. attorney’s office said the following in a statement announcing the charges: “All six individuals are natives of Bosnia who immigrated to the United States. Three have become naturalized citizens of the United States and the remaining three have either refugee or legal resident status.”

Somali terrorists have support from U.S. Somali refugees

U.S. intelligence officials suspect around a dozen men from Minnesota have left the North Star State to fight alongside the Islamic State terrorists in Syria – and two have been killed, according to Ashford. He said that in August 2014 Douglas McArthur McCain, 33, a Muslim convert who went to school in Minneapolis, became the first U.S. citizen known to have died while fighting for the ISIS.  Several days later, the White House confirmed that a second Minneapolis native-turned ISIS fighter, father-of-nine, Abdirahmaan Muhumed, 29, had also been killed. The two deaths fueled fears that the Midwestern state is becoming an unlikely recruiting hot-spot for ISIS, particularly among its large community of Somali refugees.

Douglas McArthur McCain, 33, a Muslim convert who went to school in Minneapolis (left) and Abdirahmaan Muhumed, 29, were both killed in Syria while fighting for ISIS. The reporter indicated that following a series of raids in April, 2015, eight Somali friends were charged with conspiracy to provide material support and attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. Zacharia Abdurahman, 20, Hanad Musse, 19, and Abdullahi Yusuf, 19, have all pleaded guilty. Five more suspects face trial in February, 2016. They include 21-year-old Abdurahman Yasin Daud, who was born at a refugee camp in Kenya and arrived in the US when he was nine, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune.

Zacharia Abdurahman, Hamza Ahmed and Hanad Musse have all admitted conspiracy to provide material support and attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization.

Abdurahman Yasin Daud, age 21, who was born at a refugee camp in Kenya and arrived in the United States as a refugee when he was nine is currently facing trial in 2016 for supporting terrorism.

Air force veteran becomes a terrorist

Former U.S. Air Force veteran Tairod Nathan Webster Pugh was stopped at the Turkish border, deported and charged with wanting to fight for ISIS.

Ashford said that a former U.S. Air Force veteran, Tairod Nathan Webster Pugh, is accused of trying to travel to Syria to fight alongside the Islamic caliphate’s fanatical armies. The 47-year-old was an avionics instrument system specialist from 1986 to 1990 but U.S. authorities said that he converted to Islam after leaving the military and became steadily more radical. The FBI first learned of his beliefs in 2001 when a co-worker at American Airlines reported Pugh, whose last known address was in Neptune, New Jersey, for sympathizing with Osama bin Laden.

Pugh was blocked from entering Turkey in January 2015 and deported to the United States. Later, U.S. investigators found a letter stating: “I am a mujahedeen. I am a sword against the oppressor and a shield for the oppressed.”

Cousins Jonas Edmonds and Hasan Edmonds wanted to kill soldiers at the Illinois Guard Armory

Terrorist Jonas Edmonds (right) and his cousin terrorist Hasan Edmonds (left), a National Guard soldier, were planning to kill hundreds of soldiers.

Ashford said that cousins Jonas Edmonds and Hasan Edmonds, a National Guard soldier, were accused of plotting a Charlie Hebdo-style raid on a military facility. Prosecutors stated that the two cousins planned to utilize Hasan’s inside knowledge to slaughter around 120 soldiers at the Illinois National Guard Armory. Both of them checked the military facility together and Hasan, 22, obtained training schedules, building layouts and a uniform.

Ashford explained that cousins Jonas Edmonds and Hasan Edmonds wanted to kill scores at the Illinois Guard Armory, according to prosecutors. According to the FBI, Jonas, 29, was about to execute the plot while Hasan headed to the Middle East to fight alongside ISIS.

Hasan was arrested on March 25, 2015 when he tried to fly from Chicago to Egypt and Jonas was arrested the same day in Aurora, Illinois. Both men are due to stand trial. Assistant Attorney General Carlin said that “The defendants allegedly conspired to provide material support to ISIL and planned to travel overseas to support the terrorist organization”.

The pizza and chicken shop terrorist

Ashford wrote that Mufid Elfgeeh, age 30, planned to send three men to a “welcoming camp” in Syria for jihadist terror training. The Department of Justice stated he was also plotting to shoot and kill members of the United States military who had returned from Iraq.

Elfgeeh was arrested at a Wal-Mart parking lot after taking possession of two guns with silencers and ammunition. Elfgeeh denied that he was attempting to provide support and resources to ISIS, attempted murder, various weapons charges and assault on three deputies involved in his arrest.

Yemeni-born Mufid Elfgeeh was a naturalized American citizen who was running a pizza and chicken shop in Rochester, New York. In May 2014, he became one of the first people in the United States to be arrested and accused of being a recruiter for ISIS.

Terrorists wanted to kill Pamela Geller and her “Muhammad Art Exhibit and Contest” in Texas supporters for promoting free speech

Pamela Geller made herself a prime target of Islamic terrorists when she organized a Draw Muhammad contest in an effort to exercise First Amendment rights. Two terrorists, Elton Simpson, 30, and Nadir Soofi, 34, tried to storm the controversial May 3, 2015 event in Garland, Texas but were shot dead by police. Moments earlier one of the two Islamic terrorists had tweeted a pledge of allegiance to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

ISIS claimed responsibility for the assault, the first time the terror caliphate has taken credit for an attack here although U.S. authorities have never confirmed their direct involvement. The intended attack was similar to a string of threats and attacks on Western cartoonists, satirists, artists and bloggers who have shown the Prophet Mohammad. The Charlie Hebdo shootings in France in January 2015 were done by Islamic radicals who do not believe in free speech and Western values. Organizers of the “Muhammad Art Exhibit and Contest” insisted they wanted to promote free speech which is under attack in the United States and the West.

Police killed Nadir Soofi (right) and Elton Simpson (left) to prevent them from massacring people who had gone to a ‘Draw Muhammad’ contest – just moments after one had tweeted allegiance to ISIS’s leader.

Usaamah Rahim was shot when he refused to drop his knife

Ashford wrote that Usaamah Rahim wanted to hunt down and behead Pamela Geller in an apparent revenge plot over the deaths of the Islamic terrorists at her Texas event. But after a week of planning, Usaamah Rahim, 26, decided he could not wait any longer – and vowed to kill members of the police instead. Faced with an imminent threat to law enforcement officers, FBI and police cornered Rahim on a Boston sidewalk on June 2, 2015. Rahim was shot when he refused to drop his knife. His alleged co-conspirators David Wright, 25, of Everett, Massachusetts, and Nicholas Rovinski, 24, of Warwick, Rhode Island, were charged with conspiracy to provide material support to ISIS. Wright, one of Rahim’s relatives, was also charged with conspiracy to obstruct justice.

Pamela Geller told NBC the following: “It won’t end with me or the cops, it’s just beginning. The one thing that’s being ignored that came out of Garland is that ISIS is here. Islamic terrorism is here.”

The White Muslim convert who wanted to become a terrorist

White Muslim convert Michael Todd Wolfe wanted to go to the killing fields of Syria.

Ashford wrote that the 23-year-old took up running and martial arts and began a difficult Cross Fit training program to get in shape to fight alongside ISIS. He read on military maneuvers and even tried to get out a pair of durable glasses with a head strap that would hold up on the battlefield. Michael Todd Wolfe, who is from Austin, Texas, planned to fly his family to Europe where he would meet an ISIS fixer who would take them all to Syria. However, he was arrested at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston in June 2014 when the contact turned out to be an undercover FBI agent. Wolfe was subsequently sentenced to nearly seven years in prison on charges that he attempted to aid overseas terrorists.

How can the Islamic State be defeated with our Commander-in Chief?

Erick Erickson wrote in his website on November 20, 2015 that “While the American left is hailing Barack Obama has a hero for 8000 air strikes on ISIS this year, U.S. military pilots are reporting that the Obama Administration has blocked 75% of the intended strikes.”

Obviously, the president does not want to defeat the Islamic State when U.S. pilots who have returned confirming that they were blocked from dropping 75% of their ordnance on terror targets because they could not get clearance to launch a strike. Additionally, our pilots are not allowed to destroy oil refineries and other infrastructure targets that would crippled the terror group for fear of killing civilians.

Wars cannot be won with such asinine rules of engagement. It is only now that the Department of Defense is reconsidering such stupid rules set by the White House. For comparison, in the air campaign in the Gulf War in 1991, there were 100,000 air strikes. In the initial phase, there were 1,000 a day.

How can the Islamic State be defeated with our Commander-in Chief?

Erick Erickson wrote in his website on November 20, 2015 that “While the American left is hailing Barack Obama has a hero for 8000 air strikes on ISIS this year, U.S. military pilots are reporting that the Obama Administration has blocked 75% of the intended strikes.”

Obviously, the president does not want to defeat the Islamic State when U.S. pilots who have returned confirming that they were blocked from dropping 75% of their ordnance on terror targets because they could not get clearance to launch a strike. Additionally, our pilots are not allowed to destroy trucks that carry oil driven by civilians, the oil refineries and other infrastructure targets that would crippled the terror group.

Wars cannot be won with such asinine rules of engagement. It is only now that the Department of Defense is reconsidering such stupid rules set by the White House.  For comparison, in the air campaign in the Gulf War in 1991, there were 100,000 air strikes. In the initial phase, there were 1,000 a day.

Conclusion

President Barack Obama is making a serious mistake in his desire to bring in Syrian refugees into this nation. As the Daily Mail has pointed out, many refugees that Obama has allowed into the United States have turned terrorists. House Speaker Paul Ryan, Republican from Wisconsin was right when he stated: “If our law enforcement and our intelligence community cannot verify that each and every person is not a security threat, then they shouldn’t be allowed in. We cannot and we should not wait to act. Not when our national security is at stake.”

Director of Intelligence James Clapper has said the refugee population is infiltrated with jihadists as well as the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security. Most Americans, are opposed to Obama’s irresponsible action in wanting to bring thousands of refugees to the nation. If the president once again ignores the sentiment of the American people and brings refugees to this nation, he will definitely have blood on his hands when, as in France, one or more of the refugees begin to kill innocent Americans. President Barack Obama is the worst Commander-in-Chief in the history of this nation and he has failed to protect the national security!