Obama's Delusions 

The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or ISIS) issued another grotesque beheading video over the weekend. Peter Kassig, a former Army Ranger, became the fifth Westerner beheaded by ISIL. 

The Islamic State jihadist in the video mocks President Obama and warns, "With Allah's permission we will break this final and last crusade . . . and the Islamic State will soon . . . begin to slaughter your people on your streets." Obviously that has happened already with beheadings and attempted beheadings in Moore, Oklahoma and New York City. 

In response to the video, President Obama said today, "ISIL's actions represent no faith, least of all the Muslim faith. . ."  

Really?  So beheadings would be more consistent with other faiths like Christianity and Judaism? I double checked my Bible for the part where Christ directs his disciples to smite the infidel about the head and neck but just couldn't seem to find it. 

Why does Obama insist on this self-delusion? He's not fooling anyone. The jihadists are acting in Allah's name. They call themselves "Islamic." Identify the enemy for what they are -- radical Islamists! 

The Cancer Within Islam 

After the video became public distressed commentators asked, "How many more times this will happen?" It will happen until ISIS and other radicals like Hamas, Hezbollah and Boko Haram are defeated. 

Of course, the beheadings are intended to spread terror. Analysts agree that they are an effective recruiting tool bringing thousands of other young Muslim men to their cause. This factor does not get the attention it deserves. 

Can anyone imagine anything similar happening in a different religious context? Would a radical Buddhist group brutally murdering innocent people gain adherents? Would a radical Christian group thrive and attract young Christians to its banner if it started beheading people? 

It seems highly unlikely because there is nothing in Christian teaching that encourages such sick violence. But clearly the method of murder -- the smiting of the infidel about the head and neck -- strikes a chord within the body of Islam. 

While official intelligence reports estimate that ISIS has approximately 30,000 fighters, a senior Kurdish leader says that recent coordinated attacks across Iraq and Syria strongly suggest the number is at least 200,000 -- seven times the official estimate. Clearly, ISIS is having considerable success recruiting more jihadists -- and it's not Methodists or Baptists who are swelling its ranks. 

Ebola Claims Another Doctor 

Earlier this month, Dr. Martin Salia, a surgeon who worked in Sierra Leone, somehow contracted Ebola. Over the weekend, he was flown to the specialized biocontainment facility in Nebraska.  The hospital announced this morning that he had passed away.

This is tragic news. As a Christian, Dr. Salia believed working in medicine was not just a job, but God's will for his life. As one associate said of Dr. Salia, "That he stayed committed to missionary hospitals tells you everything you need to know about who he is and his faith." We offer our prayers and condolences to his widow, Isatu, and their two children, who live in Maryland. 

Unfortunately, Dr. Salia's case raises many questions. It is not known how he contracted Ebola. This is not the first time that an infected nurse or doctor couldn't pinpoint the exact cause of infection. 

Worse, Dr. Salia was tested for Ebola but the results came back negative. Friends and co-workers celebrated the news and, according to the Washington Post, "threw their arms around him. They shook his hand. They patted him on the back. They removed their protective gear and cried."

As his condition worsened, Dr. Salia thought he had malaria, but the treatments did nothing. A second Ebola test on November 10th returned positive. 

We've heard of false positives, but the dangers of false negatives are very real with Ebola. As a Center for Disease Control official in Sierra Leone said, early tests are often wrong because "there aren't enough copies of the virus in the blood for the test to pick up." Such false negatives could contribute to a false sense of security, leading to additional Ebola exposures. 

This suggests that the medical community, including the CDC, is still struggling to thoroughly comprehend Ebola, which is why prudence demands we follow tried and true procedures rather than bow to the demands of political correctness. 

Election Signaled Time To Cooperate? 

Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) may be a great lawyer, but he doesn't get the big picture. On CNBC this morning, Senator Portman was asked about the impending immigration battle. The senator expressed disappointment that the president was going to act unilaterally, not because Obama was abusing his power, but because in Portman's opinion the clear message from the election was that the public wanted Obama and Congress to work together. 

I disagree with the senator's analysis. President Obama said that his polices were on the ballot. So the message of this election was a repudiation of his left-wing agenda. If the voters truly wanted to end gridlock in Washington, they would have elected more Democrats who would have cooperated with the president. 

Sen. Portman then assured CNBC that if Obama would just back off of his executive order on amnesty, he and other Republicans would be able to make a deal with him. 

But rather than cooperating with Obama's conspiracy of illegality -- people illegally sneaking into the country and Obama illegally pardoning them -- voters want congressional conservatives to defend the rule of law and the economic well-being of working class Americans struggling in this economy.