Is Al Qaeda On the Run? Or Are We?
8:54 AM, Aug 3, 2013 • By WILLIAM KRISTOL
Ten days ago, as John McCormack noted, in the midst of a speech about the economy President Obama mentioned some other issues:
"Of course, we’ll keep pressing on other key priorities, like reducing gun violence, rebalancing our fight against al Qaeda, combating climate change, and standing up for civil rights and women’s rights."
McCormack asked, "what does 'rebalancing our fight against al Qaeda' mean? It's a phrase Obama hasn't used before."
The administration hasn't answered McCormack's question. In light of al Qaeda's resurgence in Iraq, our withdrawal from Afghanistan, our fecklessness with respect to Syria, Libya, and elsewhere--and now the travel alert warning about the "potential for terrorist attacks, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa" and Sunday's closing of 22 embassies across the Muslim world--the answer is becoming depressingly clear: Rebalance is a euphemism for retreat.
Al Qaeda's not on the run. We are.
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