The best defense is a good offense… so goes the adage. This is something learned early by the previous administration due to the terrible events of September 2001. It was trial by fire. The lesson was clear: evil exists in the world and must be confronted before they kill any more innocents here at home. What followed was an “offense-first” foreign policy that led us to where we are now in the world. Many Americans rejected this seemingly bellicose behavior on the part of our country, particularly liberals but many people on the right as well, but they failed to remember the reasons we needed to be proactive, as opposed to reactive. Whether or not there was an overreach on the part of the administration is for history to judge, but what is indisputable is that 9-11 taught us something about the world… but now, it appears that America has forgotten the lesson.

The current administration, in its efforts to be seen as the anti-Bush, has decided that the best policy for America is to play defense, to react. So far, most of what has happened with respect to the war on terror has been a reaction, not an action. Take, for example, the plans to surge in Afghanistan, this was equal parts a political move (to appear centrist and satisfy a campaign promise) and a reaction to increased casualties. Or North Korea’s provocations, which led to more (ineffectual) sanctions. Or the recent Christmas would-be bomber which prompted the administration to review security and “improve” measures. All reactions to the enemy. At the same time we have our troops in Iraq retreating back to our bases, the highest casualty rate to date in Afghanistan, and a resurgent Al Qaeda, all due to the actions or inaction of the administration. In reacting to everything, we are giving the enemy the chance to act and, fortunately, only the technical incompetence of the terrorists themselves has kept us safe in the age of Obama… but our luck can only protect against so much. We need to get back on offense. While playing offense may be offensive to some, it kept the bombs off our planes, it kept Al Qaeda cowering in their caves, and it kept America safe. The price we paid in blood, treasure, and international “likeability” was needed to ensure that those who dreamed of a renewed Caliphate stretching from Spain to Indonesia never got the chance to make those dreams reality. America was, and is, the only thing standing in the way of extremists willing to commit the mass murder of innocents simply to send a message. Playing defense just makes our job that much harder.

-AG