Free Republic

Fewer Americans fear their families could become victims of a terror attack, according to a new poll. Thirty percent of those surveyed in a poll conducted by the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research are a “great deal” or “somewhat” concerned that they or their loved ones could be harmed by terrorists. That’s the lowest level in polling on the subject dating back to 2004. …

Republicans keep slamming President Barack Obama’s push to move the government away from a war footing and refine and recalibrate counterterrorism strategy. Capitol Hill Republicans like Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina say Obama is projecting weakness at a time when the United States needs to show resolve against terror networks like al-Qaida. The South Carolina Republican said Sunday that “at a time when we need resolve the most, we’re sounding retreat.” … Obama is trying to recast the image of terrorists from enemy warriors to cowardly thugs and move the United States away a state of perpetual war. But...

Some call it wishful thinking, but President Barack Obama has all but declared an end to the global war on terror. Obama is not claiming final victory over extremists who still seek to kill Americans and other Westerners. Instead, he is refocusing the long struggle against terrorism that lies ahead, steering the United States away from what he calls an equally frightening threat—a country in a state of perpetual war. In doing so, Obama recasts the image of the terrorists themselves, from enemy warriors to cowardly thugs and resets the relationship between the U.S. and Islam. His speech Thursday was...

Lars Hedegaard is a Danish journalist who has made his name denouncing Islam, which he describes as “a totalitarian system of thought” whose adherents “rape their own children.” Last month someone showed up at his door with a gun and fired a shot that missed him. It’s just what you would expect of those crazy Muslims, isn’t it? Except that in the aftermath, Hedegaard found Muslims across Denmark were conspicuously un-crazy. They did not applaud the assailant or excuse his motives. Instead they condemned the attack and upheld Hedegaard’s freedom to preach unhinged bigotry. … If you hear someone in...