Last night, the world watched as Paris was in shock after widespread terrorism swept through the city, resulting in multiple shootings and explosions, a concert hall siege, and mass panic. Reports at the time were beginning to roll in that the individuals responsible have links to terrorism, with Fox News reporting via local news sources that a captured gunman was a Syrian who admitted to being recruited by ISIS.
As tragic as this is, and to Paris we send our thoughts and prayers, it shows even more so why we need to become serious about the threats we’re currently faced with.
It also shows us why Senator Marco Rubio and failed businesswoman Carly Fiorina are not prepared to lead our Nation through these difficult times.
Recently, ISIS issued a chilling threat towards Russia, according to Fox News. “Hellfire awaits you. Europe is shaking, Russia is dying” warns the new video, which also states it will take the battle to their lands. Europe didn’t escape criticism, as the terrorist organization also pledged that “blood will flow like the ocean.”
This was literally just days ago, and it would appear they were serious. Whereas Al Qaeda often made threats that turned out to be just scares, ISIS has proved to be a modern operation and extremely sophisticated. The events in Paris prove that they are serious and intend to follow through on their threats.
It’s necessary at this point for the countries of the world to take necessary domestic measures to secure their respective territory and when threatened, act to protect themselves.
Russia understands the threat of ISIS and has launched air strikes against them. Regardless of past relationships, if someone is willing to take on this serious terrorist threat, we need to not blow them off.
In the aftermath of the Paris attacks, this is what the French people had to endure last night. Fox News notes:
Eight ISIS terrorists wielding AK-47s and wearing suicide belts carried out coordinated attacks at six sites around Paris Friday night, killing at least 127 people and wounding at least 180 others, France’s president said Saturday.
The most horrifying scene took place at the Bataclan concert hall near the center of Paris, where authorities said four attackers sprayed bullets into a crowd watching a performance by the American rock band Eagles of Death Metal. Reuters reported that the latest estimate from a Paris city hall official was that at least 87 people had died at the venue, though earlier reports suggested that as many as 118 concert-goers were killed.
It all started earlier that day, outside of a location with the French President on site:
…three suicide bombs targeted locations around the Stade de France, the country’s national stadium in the northern suburb of Saint-Denis, where Hollande had joined almost 80,000 soccer fans to watch an international friendly between France and Germany.
This violence, reinforcing scattered reports last night, is an ISIS attack. The New York Times has reported on a message from ISIS claiming responsibility for the attacks:
The Islamic State claimed responsibility on Saturday for the catastrophic attacks in the French capital, calling them “the first of the storm” and mocking France as a “capital of prostitution and obscenity,” according to statements released in multiple languages on one of the terror group’s encrypted messaging accounts.
Here in the United States, as we continue to pray for the victims and their families, as well as France in general, we need to smarten up about the threats we face abroad. As I noted yesterday, we have absolutely no room for the Cold War mentality right now. If Vladimir Putin wants to level ISIS, let him. We should be willing to coordinate and assist.
If Senator Marco Rubio wants to continue to resort to irresponsible politics by calling Putin names and making statements about someone who is going to take care of a critical objective, then he is not qualified for President. If Carly Fiorina refuses to talk to Putin because she puts her personal rhetoric before responsible foreign policy, then she is not qualified for President.
Republicans need to think long and hard during this nomination process. If conservatives believe ISIS is the number one threat globally and that foreign policy has been a massive failure by President Barack Obama, they need to elect a candidate who will be serious about both. This is not Senator Rubio, Fiorina, or essentially most of the rest of the field. Anyone who puts rhetoric before responsible policy is not qualified.
Senator Rand Paul and Donald Trump have both shown a willingness to leave diplomatic channels open with nations abroad, including Russia, who has taken a stand against ISIS. While taking a generally noninterventionist approach, both are proving to be more serious about taking a logical approach to dealing with this threat. They are certainly not putting rhetoric before policy.
