Sound Diagnosis, Pathetic Prescription

Earlier today, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel offered a surprisingly realistic and cogent evaluation of the threat posed by ISIL. This clip is only a minute and a half long, but it sums up the danger well:

Hagel says, correctly, that ISIL “is beyond anything we’ve seen,” creates a “whole new dynamic,” is “as sophisticated and well-funded as any organization we’ve seen,” an “imminent threat to every interest we have,” which poses a threat to our homeland for which we had better “get ready.” That’s the diagnosis.

So today the Obama administration announced that it is opening a criminal investigation into the murder of James Foley. I’m not kidding:

The U.S. Justice Department is conducting a criminal investigation of the death of American journalist James Foley, Attorney General Eric Holder said on Thursday. …

A U.S. official said American investigators were urgently attempting to “identify and capture” the man in the video.

I am sure the prospect of having Eric Holder on his trail will strike fear into the guy who sawed off Foley’s head. When you catch him, though, make sure to read him his rights!

This isn’t even bringing a knife to a gun fight, this is bringing a legal brief to a gun fight. Let’s hope the administration has plans for ISIL that go beyond legal harassment.

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