SAR #15325

The wheel keeps on turning.

After Saudi-financed Saudi terrorists attacked the US on 9/11, the US immediately attacked Afghanistan, and when the mountains turned out to be useless targets for impressing the folks back home, the US visited its frustration on Iraq. In much the same manner, France, being attacked by European terrorists with European passports, has turned to bombing Syria.

Closer to home, in that the eight terror suspects named so far are not refugees and had EU passports from countries whose citizens do not need visas to enter the US, American politicians have decided that US resettlement procedures for refugees are far too lax.

Refugees go through a rigorous investigation process that takes at least 18 months. Since 2011 the US has admitted about 2,500 refugees, more than half women and children. The Republicans in the House passed a meaningless bill telling Obama to institute unspecified but more strict screening measures. It is not needed and will not become law. However, it may give the guys on the far right something to shut down the government over.

But fear sells, so our politicians have been stoking the fire:

Jeb Bush (R, Wannabe) insists we should only be taking Syrian refugees who “prove they are Christian.”

Trump (R, Wannabe) “absolutely no choice” but to close mosques where “bad things are happening.” Wants to compile a massive database of all Muslims and to make them carry security ID and to wear a Star of David green crescent on their clothing.

Marco Rubio (Sen, R-Fla., Wannabe) said that "we won't be able to take more refugees" in the wake of the Paris terror attacks, without feeling it necessary to explain why.

John Kaish (R, Gov OH, Wannabe) wants a new federal agency tasked with enforcing “core Judeo-Christian, Western values”.

Chris Christie (R, Gov. NJ. Wannabe) cannot believe the Paris attackers were not Syrian refugees, says that the United States should not admit any refugees from the Syrian civil war — not even "orphans under age 5."

Ted Cruz (R Sen, TX, Wannabe) says the attacks in Paris prove that Obama “does not wish to defend” the United States.

Mike Huckabee (R, Wannabe) claims that the terror attacks prove that Obama will make us all memorize the Koran.

Ben Carson (R, Wannabe) says that Syrian refugees are like “a rabid dog running around your neighborhood”.

Rick Snyder (R, Gov MI ) wants to ban refugees because... well, just because the current 18 to 24 month vetting period is too lax. Note that governors cannot tell the federal government what to do, not even about refugee resettlement.

Mike Pence (R, Gov. IN) could not articulate the reason(s) he rejected a Syrian refugee family that was quickly accepted by Connecticut.

Brian Babin (R-TX) sponsored a bill to defund the US resettlement program until Obama agrees to limit refuges to practicing Christians because Mary and Joseph didn't have suicide vests.

Glen Casada (TN GOP House Leader) wants the National Guard (or a group of concerned citizens, engaging in “civil disobedience”) to round up Syrian refugees and march them down a Trail of Tears to the ICE offices in New Orleans. Or put them in concentration camps.

Thus the republicans who have declared for this ride in the clown car are certifiably not competent to be The Occupant and hose making wanna-run noises for next time all need putting down, too.

Over on the Dem side:

Hillary Clinton (D, Wannabe) would give US troops “greater flexibility” to embed with Kurds and moderate Sunnis in Syria, establish no-fly zones in Syria, had hire more Arabic speakers. She seems intent on creating more refugees.

Bernie Sanders doesn't seem to have thought a handful of Syrian refugees, fully vetted and hand picked for settlement were going to burn down great public buildings right away. He has some idea about social equity, yada, yada... which doesn't sell aircraft nor aircraft carriers and is thus a non starter

Sisyphus: Obama's biggest terrorism struggle will be how, in the face of the above idiocy, to formulate a reasonable and effective strategy to deal with an eventual terrorist attack on the US that will not make fit the terrorists playbook and generate more recruits to carry out more terrorist attacks. If he is so inclined, and he may be.