Obama Calls Paris Attack “Terrorism,” But Won’t Say “Islamist”

In order to win the war on terror, we have to be clear first that we’re in a war, and second about who we’re fighting. The Obama administration doesn’t appear to have much of a notion about either.

President Obama today condemned the terrorist attack in Paris but failed to mention the obvious perpetrators, Islamist terrorists. I mean, even if he wants to be cautious, he could at least say it “appears to be” the work of Islamists. But this president apparently doesn’t like to reach early conclusions about things unless matters of race are involved.

Obama issued the following statement:

I strongly condemn the horrific shooting at the offices of Charlie Hebdo magazine in Paris that has reportedly killed 12 people. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of this terrorist attack and the people of France at this difficult time. France is America’s oldest ally, and has stood shoulder to shoulder with the United States in the fight against terrorists who threaten our shared security and the world.

Time and again, the French people have stood up for the universal values that generations of our people have defended. France, and the great city of Paris where this outrageous attack took place, offer the world a timeless example that will endure well beyond the hateful vision of these killers. We are in touch with French officials and I have directed my Administration to provide any assistance needed to help bring these terrorists to justice.

Just before Obama’s statement was released, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest was hesitant to even call the assault terrorism, which is about like watching “Jaws” and being uncertain whether one had viewed a shark attack.

The White House has resisted since Day One the notion that America is at war against terrorism and that a subset of any single group is to blame for it. If Obama understood America to be on a war footing against Islamists, he might, for example, have acted in time to prevent the rise of ISIS. We hopefully will not soon discover what other consequences await the failure to conceive of America in a life and death struggle against a specific foe.