While President Obama wishes to focus on health care and other domestic priorities, his administration is increasingly distracted by the specter of terrorism. The terrorists are coming out of the woodwork like cockroaches. Perhaps the terrorists feel safer to emerge now that Bush is out of office. Maybe it is coincidence. Whatever the reason, the terrorists seem to be back and in force both at home and abroad.

This year, the government has broken up terror plots in Texas, New York, and killed a radical Imam in a shootout in Dearborn, Michigan. Homegrown terrorists have sought help abroad. The Pakistan Military arrested five Americans that tried to join El Queda. They should be charged with treason. There seems to be an increase in domestic arrests with would be terrorists.

While the government has broken up terror rings at home, the country suffered the first terror attack since 911. On November 5, an Islamic terrorist attacked the Fort Hood. The alleged terrorist was a soldier that could not reconcile his faith with his career. This was not the actions of a deranged lone gunman. This was thought out rationally. He decided to go on a jihad and murdered 13 and wounded 30. It appears political correctness intimidated those that could have come forward to report this fellow’s behavior. He is currently charged with 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted murder under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Unfortunately, Congress refuses to hold hearings on the matter in order to avoid possible embarrassment for the Administration.

While America suffered its first terror attack on the homeland in eight years, Iraq seems relatively secured. However, the terrorists have been on the move in Afghanistan. The Pakistan military has hammered them and they have probably moved back into Afghanistan. All the while, President Obama agonized for months over a decision to send more troops to combat terrorists. He eventually decided to increase troop strength, but does not seem to know what else to do. It is entirely probable that the delay in deciding to send troops cost American lives and perhaps wasted an opportunity to nail some terrorists.

Lastly, Obama has decided to close the prison at Guantanamo Bay and ship its prisoners stateside and elsewhere. There is some concern over what happens should some of these terrorists escape. Additionally, some detainees will be tried in civilian court despite pleading guilty in military tribunals. The administration has promised convictions even if the accused are found innocent. So, the integrity of the trials are questionable at best. Meanwhile, other detainees will stay in the tribunals. In both cases, the administration is making moves for propaganda purposes.

2009 will be remembered as the year terrorism reemerged. Every couple months it seemed the government was busting up another terror ring. The country also experienced the first terror attack since 911. On top of this, Afghanistan dominated much of the news as Obama dithered on whether or not he wanted to win the war there, if the war was winnable, and what victory meant. The administration even played politics with terrorists in captivity. If 2009 is any indication, there will be an upswing in terror violence on American targets over the next couple of years.

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Iran is trying to resurrect the Mahdi using nuclear weapons. Afghanistan is going to hell. Obamacare is on life support and most Americans want to pull the plug. So where's Obama in all this? He's running errands for Mayor Daley. He's off to lobby Chicago's case to host the 2016 Olympics. This continues a pattern of behavior. When the going gets tough, Obama gets going. During previous difficulties, Obama has gone on late night television, gone out for burgers, and attended Broadway shows. During the pirate incident earlier this year, he went into hiding.

Afghanistan has been a quagmire for outsiders attempting to occupy and control that god-forsaken land. The British got bogged down and eventually had to withdraw. The Soviets went bankrupt fighting in Afghanistan. Now, it’s America’s turn to try and solve the riddle of victory in Afghanistan. The only real power in world history to successfully wage war in that land were the Mongols. The succeeded through terror and atrocity. With that kind of history, how does America emerge victorious?

Firstly, pulling out the troops and waging an air war won’t work. Senator Carl Levin and columnist George Will are wrong. That is essentially a return to the Clinton Era strategy that led to 3000 dead on 911. Wars are won on the offensive and with boots on the ground and not from 30,000 feet.

A second option would be to prop up a strong man and let him rule as he sees fit. While tempting, replacing one dictatorship with another is a Cold War relic. We do need to build up the military as much as possible so they can take over security functions and combat threats in the tribal regions, from Pakistan, and within their midst. However, the world has had enough Pinochets.

The third option is giving the generals what they want. Boots win wars. The side with the initiative wins wars. America beat Japan because MacArthur wanted to fight the Japanese as opposed to playing defense. Right now, the Taliban and their allies have the initiative. To counter this and take the offensive, General McChrystal needs boots. Instead of trying to pass a healthcare plan no one wants, perhaps President Obama needs to give his generals the tools they need to take the offensive.