President Reagan came to office talking tough and said terrorists could run but could not hide from America. Then terrorists struck the U.S. Marine compound in Beirut killing 241 Marines. That attack was and still is the worst terror attack against Americans on foreign soil. The planners of that attack were never brought to justice by the Reagan administration. The President also said he would never negotiate with terrorists and then sold arms to Iran in what became know as the Iran-Contra scandal.
President George W. Bush came to office talking tough then the tragic events of 9-11 took place in New York and killed over 2000. That attack was and still is the worst foreign terror attack on U.S. soil. The Planner of that attack, Bin Laden was never brought to justice by the Bush administration. But President Obama did bring Bin Laden to justice because he made it the governments top priority. Then came tough talk about Iraq, an invasion and occupation over WMD that did not exist and Bush would not end that war or occupation before he left office. Saddam Hussein was no longer around and terrorists who entered Iraq because of the invasion were responsible for most of the U.S. casualties in Iraq.
President Trump came to office talking tough about fighting terror and sent mixed signals to our adversaries. Because of his hatred for President Obama he played the blame game. Trump said the killing of police officials would stop and not happen on his watch but several have already been killed. When North Korea test fired several missiles before President Obama left office, Trump said it would not happen on his watch, but North Korea test fired several since Trump took office. Trump said all along the U.S. has no interest in being in Syria and then Syria launched an alleged chemical attack on his own people.
There is an important story here folks. Tough talk don't make a man or a President. It is the President's responsibility to prevent attacks and not brag how tough you are and then have to react after the fact that usually cost lives. The attacks against Iraq and Syria were against two countries that did not have the military capacity to respond. The New York Times reported according to a story in the Huffington Post that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was told at his most recent visit with the Russians not to strike Syria again. That story receive very little publicity by the news media and the Trump administration.
It would be a good thing for the tough talkers to keep in mind miscalculations have already cost too many American lives.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
