A MANAGEABLE PROBLEM

 

 On September 11, 2001, I was in my office interviewing a client. I heard some chatter pick up outside the door. Then someone poked their head around the corner and told me an airplane just crashed into the World Trade Center. My first thought was everyone’s first thought. How in the world does an airplane manage to crash into the World Trade Center? I figured it was a small private plane, maybe some tourist ride around the skyline. While I was thinking that, word came that a second crashed into the other tower. And they were both airliners. Clearly they were not accidents. Then we heard of the one crashing into the Pentagon.

 

 At my first opportunity, I sent out an email to all of my contacts around DC. Having just left the area two years earlier, I still had plenty of friends and contacts there. Soon the responses came. “I can see the Pentagon smoke from the window.” “The traffic is already in gridlock.” The DCSPER (Army Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel) and the Sergeant Major are unaccounted for.” “Dave, I have not heard from Larry.” Those last two responses were like a gut punch. The DSCPER Sergeant Major was Larry Strickland. A Soldier I had known and respected for quite some time. That second email was from Command Sergeant Major Debra Strickland, Larry’s wife. As time passed, it became clear that Larry was a casualty of war. To make this story even more difficult to take, Larry and Debra were scheduled to retire together within a few days. Larry did not have to be in the path of that airliner. But, like the old pro he was, he was there briefing his replacement and ensuring a smooth transition into one of the Army’s more important enlisted jobs.

 

 In moments, lives were lost, families destroyed, and lifetime dreams stolen. Taken by dark soulless men. This story is but one of thousands just like it. I am angered every time September 11 nears and I am certain it is much worse for those families directly touched by evil.

 

 Now, we have another scourge of soulless murderers rampaging across the Middle East. From the religion of peace I am told. I am also reminded that these psychopaths only represent a tiny percentage of Muslims. I wonder, where are that majority of peace loving people? The ones who do not support beheading and decapitating children and mass executions. I wonder. Are they silenced into fear or are they complicit. Certainly if there was a desire, these billions of moderate Muslims could overwhelm and remove this tiny percentage. If there was a desire. Or, maybe there is no radical Islam. No moderate Islam. Maybe there is just an Islam.

 

 As September 11 approaches, we still have a missing Malaysian airliner. We have no proof that it crashed. Adding to that, we learn that ISIS has control of 11 commercial airliners taken from the Tripoli airport. Ah, Libya. Such a free and peaceful place after we enabled ISIS to remove that despicable Ghadaffi.

 

 The president ensured our NATO allies that we would degrade and destroy ISIS or at least render it to a manageable problem. Turn it into a manageable problem. Now that certainly is the strategy I had in mind. Straight from the Whitehouse junior varsity brain storming sessions led by JV coach and defacto president Jarrett. I feel better now. A manageable problem. Just for your education Mr. President. The NATO alliance has always worked like this. America leads. NATO follows.

 

 Crazy Uncle Joe Biden had a different take. His strategy? We will follow them to the gates of hell. That one is a little worn out Joe. I can just see the ISIS murderers girding their loins and heading for the hills. Uncle Joe struck fear into their evil hearts.

 

 A favorite expression in my world Joe is that action talks and bovine scatology walks. Manageable problems and the gates of hell. I am inspired. The problem Joe is that you and many like you and your boss shook your fist at God. Through your actions, what you believe, and what you support, you have already taken America to the gates of hell and pulled them wide open. Beelzebub’s evil army marched right out. So there you now stand. Facing down evil. The evil you invited on the land.

 

 We opened up our southern borders. We have large areas in this country that are sending recruits to ISIS. We probably have thousands of them here right now in the good old US of A. Ready and willing to create another more spectacular September 11. Welcome to the on ramp to the gates of hell.

 

 A manageable problem? You have not discovered one yet. Maybe Michelle can offer them nutritious lunch boxes. I understand the schools have plenty of those left over. ----- D. Pendry --------