By: Carter Ford

Is President Obama a terrorist?

Since Obama’s election, our country has been flooded with rumors, speculations and even accusations about a multitude of his policies. Not only is Obama consistently accused of being a socialist, communist, Muslim, (you name it), conservative extremists have even gone so far as to accuse him of being a terrorist.  

During the election, then candidate-Obama promised, among many other things, to shift the focus of the War on Terrorism from Iraq to Afghanistan. Most conservatives assumed this to be more Obama rhetoric. This was talk specifically geared to give Obama the appearance of being dedicated and ready to fulfill his future role as “commander-in-chief.” Certainly, in an election against a war hero, Obama needed to say something to express readiness to handle the militaristic responsibilities that come with being president of the United States.  

The question is: In his eight months in office, has Obama actually followed up on his promises to fight terrorism and to keep us safe? 

Obama has stated four main problems with the situation in Iraq: inadequate security and political progress, strains on the military, the regrouping of Al Qaeda in Afghanistan, and a strategy that is too old to be effective. Each of these points is mostly valid.  

That’s not to say President Bush was a failure in his effort in Iraq. To say the world is less safe now than it was before we invaded Iraq is not justifiable – after all, the question of motives for invasion aside, Saddam Hussein is no longer in control and Iraq is heading in the direction of a democracy, however slowly.

But there does come a point when it is time to consider how to turn over the reigns.  The surprising thing about this is that most liberal-leaning Americans have been in favor of leaving Iraq for some time, while most conservative-leaning Americans believe we should remain.  

It seems ironic that conservatives, who value the principles of hard work and ownership when it comes to domestic economic issues, would believe just the opposite when it comes to running the government of another country.  

While a small business or corporation is not necessarily comparable to the government of a country, the principle is unchanged. It’s the core belief that people are better able to help themselves versus a government or, in this case, a larger government trying to do it for them. 

Then comes the issue of Iraq versus Afghanistan. As previously stated, Obama heavily campaigned on refocusing our energies in Afghanistan and also believes that our attention in Iraq has significantly hindered our ability to fight Al Qaeda, which is continuously working to reorganize in Afghanistan.  

To shift focus from Iraq to Afghanistan seems like a pretty logical plan of action considering Sept. 11 and the fact that the terror and devastation brought to American soil all stems back to Al Qaeda.  

To this effect, Obama is increasing the troops located in Afghanistan by 17,000. This is against the will of many in Obama’s own party who want anything but more troops and more war. Obama has looked beyond simple politics and partisanship because he knows that the War on Terrorism, specifically defeating Al Quada, is essential to the safety of the American people. Even for an issue as complicated as this country’s continuous War on Terrorism, it is easy to see that Obama has stepped up and made a firm commitment to fighting terrorism.

Further, Obama and Vice President Joe Biden have made a sincere effort to improve political ties within the government of Iraq. Believing that the U.S. needs to responsibly remove troops from Iraq, Obama and Biden have ensured progress in removing our troops from Iraq and have done so in a way that best allows the Iraqi government to successfully retain control.  

Regardless  of whether you agree with their plan, they are unquestionably executing it just as they outlined it in their campaign – and that kind of follow-through is rare.

The bottom line is that Obama is working to ensure the safety of the American people. He is working regularly with Gen. Petraeus, Gen. McChrystal and other military leaders to take the best course of action in our quest to defeat those who wish to destroy this country. It would be nothing short of a miracle if every last one of us agreed with every detail of every plan of action to take.  

Lastly, we have to remember we really don’t know everything that is happening. Sure, we can get online and research all we want, but most of what the military does on a daily basis is not broadcasted on live television or tweeted online. It doesn’t matter if it’s Obama or Bush – we just do not and will not have the ability to give a fully educated dissertation on how to solve the issue of the War on Terrorism. 

So, let’s look at the facts that we have, believe in our military and our president, and stop all of the unnecessary bickering and name-calling. 

And just in case you’re still wondering, the answer is no, Obama is not a terrorist, in my humble opinion.