First and foremost, Washington should resolve to make border security a top priority finally, rather than an afterthought, of this plan in light of concerns about potential ISIS activities on our southern border, cited in a Texas Department of Public Safety bulletin reported by Fox News. As long as our border isn't secure, the government is making it far too easy for terrorists to infiltrate our nation.
In the ad, Brown, who is trailing, accuses Shaheen and Obama of being "confused about the nature of the threat" posed by "radical Islamic terrorists" who are "threatening to cause the collapse of our country." He then says we must "secure the border."
Like McCain and Graham, Cruz also wants to kill first and ask questions later. He's suggested that America "bomb [ISIS] back to the Stone Age." (The quote echoes General Curtis LeMay's advice during Vietnam; that turned out well.) At this week's hearing, Cruz demanded not merely that the U.S. "destroy ISIS not degrade them." He also demanded that it do so "within 90 days." When Dempsey said that wasn't possible, Cruz issued a press release saying the general was wrong. But while Cruz resembles McCain and Graham in hyping threats and dropping bombs, he morphs into Rand Paul when the subject turns to political engagement overseas. McCain and Graham want to train and arm the Free Syrian Army so that when America bombs ISIS, non-jihadist rebels seize their territory and eventually pressure Bashar al-Assad into a political settlement. Cruz doesn't. When it comes to Syria's "moderate" opposition, he's doubtful that the United States "can tell the good guys from the bad guys." That may be true. But most commentators who share Cruz's skepticism about arming the rebels are skeptical of a bombing campaign too, arguing that it won't do much good on the ground. Cruz doesn't care. He wants to pulverize Syria from the air without any effort at political change on the ground.