At the risk of arguing with our editor, Jed Babbin, it’s not enough to fire White House terrorism adviser John Brennan after his statement shrugging off the 20% of Guantanamo Bay inmates who return to the battlefield.
Last week, in a speech at the Islamic Center at New York University, Brennan said, “You know, the American penal system, the recidivism rate is up to something about 50 percent or so, as far as return to crime. Twenty percent isn't that bad.”
No, after that Mr. Brennan needs to be shamed publicly. I suggest he be brought before an audience of Gold Star Parents - the mothers and fathers whose sons and daughters have been killed fighting terrorists - and forced to repeat that statement to their faces.
Perhaps he’d like to explain to them that their son or daughter was killed by one of the 20% jihadist recidivists “which isn’t that bad.” And they are jihadists despite his failure to understand that as well.
American blood, sweat and treasure went into capturing each and every one of the jihadists imprisoned at Guantanamo - but apparently not enough for Mr. Brennan who seems content that our Service Members will have to recapture or kill 20% of those released - and risk their own lives in doing so.
To quote Mr. Gingrich, “This is MADNESS!”
John Brennan may have had a distinguished career chasing terrorists in the CIA. It seems he likes it so much he wants us to chase them more than once.
This isn’t a game Mr. Brennan.
You’ve never had the responsibility of command. Commanders are responsible for everything their troops do or fail to do. Commanders are responsible for their troops lives. Commanders are responsible for their troops from sun-up to sun-up. From arrival to departure - however it may come - through orders to another unit, though leaving the service, through injury or illness, and yes through death.
Commanders understand the serious nature of the threat. Commanders write the letters home to the Gold Star Parents of the Fallen – explaining what their son or daughter did and meant and gave on behalf of our country.
Military Commanders and Gold Star Parents understand that 20% is unacceptable. I hope our Commander-in-Chief understands as well. It seems clear his counter-terrorism advisor doesn’t.
No, Mr. Brennan. In accordance with the laws of land warfare, we’ll let the jihadists go when this war is over.
It’s time this administration stop undermining the Geneva Convention, pandering to the left and palling around with Muslim Brotherhood sympathizers. But we’ll save Rashad Hussain - President Obama’s newly-appointed representative to the Organization of the Islamic Conference - for another day...
