Obama - Gitmo - What Americans Think!

by Gary Bauer: Does Obama Worry You? A few recent Rasmussen polls on national security issues have attracted my attention. It seems President Obama’s actions are beginning to worry the American people.

Last week, pollster Scott Rasmussen reported that public support for the war on terror – or “overseas contingency operations” as the Obama White House calls them – has fallen significantly in recent weeks. In fact, under President Obama’s leadership, support for the war on terror is down to its lowest level in nearly a year at just 42%.

Meanwhile, 28% of likely voters say that the “terrorists are winning.” According to Rasmussen, “That’s the highest number offering that pessimistic assessment since October of 2007.” What has happened in recent weeks to give folks such a pessimistic outlook? Let’s review.

Immediately after taking office, President Obama issued an executive order closing the terrorist

detention facility at Guantanamo Bay – without any plan as to where those thugs would be put after GITMO was shut. Then the administration dropped charges against Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, suspected of masterminding the 2000 suicide bombing of the U.S.S. Cole, which killed 17 U.S. sailors. Diane McDaniels, mother of one of those 17 sailors, expressed regret for voting for Obama.

In mid-March, Attorney General Eric Holder suggested that some of the GITMO detainees might actually be released in the United States. How many? Secretary of Defense Robert Gates suggested as many as 100 might end up in the U.S. Even worse, National Intelligence Director Dennis Blair said we might have to give them welfare.

Next, Obama goes overseas and apologies for America before European and Turkish audiences, and bows before the Muslim king of Saudi Arabia. His Secretary of Homeland Security drops the phrase “terrorism” in favor of “man-made disasters” and then releases a report that seems more worried about pro-life activists and veterans than Islamic terrorists. Whoops! I mean “sponsors of man-made disasters.”

Then, against the advice of his CIA director and four former CIA directors, President Obama releases classified CIA memos regarding our interrogation methods. Even worse, he bans methods that the CIA said produced information that prevented a “second wave attack” on Los Angeles after 9/11.

Last, but certainly not least, the president indicates his openness to prosecuting the people who, and criminalizing the policies which, kept us safe after 9/11.

How do the people feel about all this? According to Rasmussen:

Only 36% of voters support closing GITMO;

75% of voters do not want GITMO detainees released into the United States;

64% of Democrats and 76% of independent voters do not want GITMO detainees released here.

74% oppose giving them taxpayer money if they are released into the United States;

Only 28% of voters thought releasing the CIA memos was the right thing to do;

Only 28% of voters want more investigations of Bush-era security policies; and

A Gallup poll found that 61% of Americans who have closely followed the interrogation story felt that the “harsh techniques” were justified.

Given what the Obama Administration is doing, and how concerned the American people are about it, it’s not surprising that a Rasmussen poll released yesterday finds that Americans are increasingly interested in “national security/war on terror” issues. According to Rasmussen, 70% of Americans now say that those issues are very important to them – up ten points from February and “the highest level found since September 2007.”

The people are paying attention, and when it comes to national security, they don’t like the “change” Obama and the liberal Democrats are making. If voters don’t like the policies being made in Washington, there is only one solution: Change the politicians making those policies!

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