In the swashbuckling classic, The Princess Bride, kidnapping accomplice Inigo Montoya boasts before his sword duel with the man in black, "I'm going to do him left-handed." Alas, Inigo misjudges his mysterious opponent, whom we eventually learn is Westley, an accomplished sword master doing temp work as The Dread Pirate Roberts. He also happens to be the one true love of the kidnappee, Princess Buttercup. Inigo's pride makes it seem reasonable to hobble himself and grant his highly motivated opponent an advantage. Big mistake!
I cannot help but wonder if Obama is taking a cue from Inigo in his fight against terror. One of the many executive orders flying from the White House is this one calling for the closure of detention facilities at Guantanamo Bay. Will this measure handicap our efforts in the war on terror? Recidivism of combatants is not a purely academic or theoretical question: Here's a relevant Reuters report. Is Obama so sure of himself that he is willing to spot the terrorists a few points at the beginning of his term in office?
My concern, however, is not just about the potential of seeing some of the Gitmo detainees rejoin their comrades in arms. The war against terror is an asymmetric conflict. The terrorist is successful with but one spectacular act of destruction. It can be preceded by a thousand foiled plans and failed schemes. But getting it right ONE TIME is all he needs. It's a completely different story for those who fight terror. They can identify and infiltrate myriad terrorist cells; make a long string of successful arrests and seizures; prevent countless "acts of terror." But getting it wrong ONE TIME is sufficient to label them as failures. Of course, the defenders are not failures. They have a long string of prior accomplishments. But the PERCEPTION of failure is the yield the terrorist seeks. Terrorism is about harvesting the debilitating fears of a people. One blazing solitary act can yield a bumper crop of perceived defeat.
So what will happen should the minions of terror get it right ONE TIME in the next four years? How well will it play that Obama APPEARED to fight terror left handed? His executive order will be perceived as evidence that he took the threat too lightly. The President's failure and the terrorists' success will become grist for doubts about his ability. As we are consumed by thoughts of "what the terrorists will do next," they will have achieved their aim, for us to live in fear, with assistance from our own President.
By the way, this ought to put some perspective on the presidency of George W. Bush. After the attack on 9/11 began the war on terror, he got it right 100% of the time - the terrorists not once. This is no small accomplishment and I hope we are grateful for what we have enjoyed on his watch. Perhaps God will show us four more years of such grace - if Obama is "going to do them left-handed," we need God's grace now more than ever.
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