- January 25, 2009 - Realty sets in for the Obama administration. After a weekend of round-the-clock analysis, Americas's intelligence was concerned. A group of Somali extremists was reported to be coming across the Canadian border to detonate bombs as Obama took the oath of office. He canceled a practice session to go over his inaugural address. David Axelrod, Obama's senior adviser, later interpreted that was a sign Obama was rattled. “He seemed more subdued than he had been,” Axelrod stated. “It’s not as if you don’t know what you’re getting into,” “But when the reality comes and the baton is being passed and you’re now dealing with real terrorism threats, it’s a very sobering moment.” Obama could only ask questions and rely on the people who had been fighting terrorism for years under the Georger W Bush administration.
F: A failing grade for Obama. Like most Americans, before becoming President, Obama did not have direct inside information on just how serious , and often, these terrorists threats are. So to criticize the Bush administration for its actions against terror suspects was irresponsible on the part Obama's. Now, even before his is sworn in as President, he is overwhelmed with intelligence information and analysis of the constant terrorists threats against America. Something the Bush administration tried to explain to the American people. However.may Americans, quickly forgot Sept 11, 2001, was not aware of the countless attacks the Bush administration thwarted and did not consider terrorism a top priority. Will Obama's liberal stance with The War on Terror now change?

- January 30, 2010 - President Obama's decision to try Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and other Al Qaeda suspects in lower Manhattan, just five blocks from where the twin towers fell, has come back to haunt him. After a massive lashback,Obama has backed away from the planned NY terror trial. He instead intends to have the trials held elsewhere in the state. Still, the administration says it’s making a pragmatic move and is sticking by its basic and most important premise: To try the men in a US civilian court instead of in a military tribunal.
F: This sudden about face decision by Obama has given his critics ammunition who point out his rush to judgement, inexperience and indecisiveness. It continues to be a mistake for the Obama administration to offer civilian rights to foreign terrorists by trying them in a US civilian court. It gives the terrorists a chance to "lawyer up" and in doing so protect them in many ways a military tribunal would not. in addition it will give the hardened enemy a front stage to spread international propaganda about America by using America's own judicial system. So even though Obama backed away from the lower Manhattan setting (citing costs and security concerns), it is still a worry that the terrorists will have the advantage of US civilian rights. 

- May 15, 2009 - President Obama reverses his initial stance by reviving terror tribunals, dismaying his liberal supporters who suggested he was going back on yet another campaign promise. "This is the best way to protect our country, while upholding our deeply held values," Obama said. The trials of 13 defendants in nine cases will be restarted no sooner than September. Five of the 13 are charged with helping orchestrate the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Obama made some changes to the original tribunals by giving detainees stronger legal protections, such as a ban on evidence obtained under cruel duress. The tribunal system was established after the military began taking detainees from the battlefields of Afghanistan in late 2001. Obama publicly disagreed with the terror tribunals during his Presidential campaign by being highly critical of the commissions used by the Bush administration.
A, F: Two fold grading. Obama gets a A for making the right decision in reviving the terror tribunals. This is a very important tool in defending America against terrorists and has helped kept Americans safe for the last eight years. He gets an F for going back on another campaign promise. His decision was denounced by a host of liberal-leaning groups that supported his presidential campaign. Obama, now as President, seems to be setting a trend when it comes to abandoning his liberal beliefs that he had during his campaign with the war on terror. Why the change of heart ? Because Obama, as President, has been briefed by top military advisors and now fully understands the true danger America faces.

- May 11, 2009 - President Obama has confirmed he will block the release of photos showing prisoners in Iraq and Afghanistan being abused. He reversed his position after military commanders warned that the images could increase anti-American sentiment and endanger U.S. troops. The pictures show mistreatment of detainees at locations beyond the infamous U.S.-run Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. When the Abu Ghraib photos emerged in 2004 of grinning U.S. soldiers posing with detainees, some naked, some being held on leashes, they caused a huge anti-American backlash around the globe, particularly in the Muslim world.

A: President Obama made the right decision after being persuaded by top military commanders who warned of the dire consequences if the photos were to be released. But the question remains why Obama waited so long and why he originally stated he would approve the release of the pictures. It is clear releasing them would have given the enemy a propaganda tool to stir up more anti-Americanism around the world and incite the terrorists. Releasing the photos would have also given the world the wrong impression on how America treats the terrorists prisoners based on a few bad apples. Why not release photos and videos that show the overwhelming number of terrorists prisoners being treated in an extremely humane way (even being allowed to practice their religion, excercise and choose from a food menu)?  

- May 6, 2009 - President Obama experienced a congressional set back when Democrats in the House failed to back his efforts to close the U.S.-run detention facility holding suspected terrorists at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. House Democrats "rejected Mr. Obama's request for $81 million to close the detention center" as part of a war-funding bill, "saying the White House lacks a plan to safely relocate the roughly 240 terrorist suspects held on the island."

F: Back on Jan 23, we had given President Obama an F for his decision on closing Guantanamo Bay and explained why. Now he receives another failing grade on this topic for first, not being able to convince his own party that he had made the right decision and second, for not providing a reasonable relocation plan.

- April 15, 2009 - President Obama has approved of The U.S. Department of Justice releasing four undisclosed memos supporting the legality of interrogation methods used by CIA agents on War on Terror detainees under the George W. Bush administration. Obama has also issued a statement guaranteeing that no CIA employees will be prosecuted for their role in the interrogation program. Obama has instructed the CIA and U.S. Military to no longer use such forms of interrogation. Four former CIA directors and several senior agency officials opposed the release of the memos.
F:  With this decision Obama faces criticism from both sides. His has again disappointed his liberal supporters who argue the CIA agents should be prosecuted. Conservatives are upset for two reasons. In Obama releasing these memos, he has simultaneously withheld other classified memos that show what those interrogation techniques produced and the information gathered that helped prevent another attack on the homeland since 9/11. In fact before the enhanced techniques, three top captive terrorists, KSM, Zubaydah, and Nashiri, the only three ever waterboarded, were completely uncooperative. Afterwards, they gave up all sorts of valuable information, including information that allowed America to start capturing massive amounts of Al Qaeda's leadership and command and control levels, as well as the aforementioned "Second Wave" attack planned for Los Angeles. Second, the Obama administration has now given AL Queda and its network a huge physoclogical victory. These memos were classified as top secret. Top secret is normally defined that if revealed will cause grave threat to America. These memos are no longer top secret as they have been revealed to the public. The enemy can acquire the details of these very effective torture techniques which are now posted on the internet. Terrorists can now be well prepared on how to deal with these interrogation methods, rendering them useless. This will most certainly put Americans in harms way as the CIA and military will have a much harder time obtaining vital information to prevent future terrorist attacks. In addition, Al Queda and its network will now know how far America is willing to go. They will see how docile these "torture" techniques really are when comparing to their own torture methods. This will make them less fearful of being captured by America and more confident. The good news about these interrogation methods being released publicly is that it will lie to rest the theory that most people had about America truly torturing its enemies. The fact is these methods are tranquil compared to what Al Queda does to its hostages.
Here is the published list. (All methods were done so with medical doctors on hand)

1. Attention grasp, which consists of “grasping the individual with both hands, one hand on each side of the collar opening, in a controlled and quick motion.”

2. Walling consists of slamming a person against a wall. The wall is false, and the person’s head and neck are supported to prevent whiplash.

3. Facial hold. Self-explanatory. 

4. Facial slap.

5. Cramped confinement. Depending on the space, you can wind up sitting or standing here in the appointed, usually dark, space from 2 to 18 hours.

6. Wall standing. Stretch our your fingers in front of you and touch a wall. Now support your weight with your fingers for some undetermined length of time.

7. Stress positions. Contort the body in some manner it doesn’t like to be contorted, such as kneeling on the floor while leaning back at a 45 degree angle. Now see how long before your body becomes stressed. Even if you’re really good at yoga, presumably the position will become painful at some point.

8. Sleep deprivation.

9. Place individual in cramped space with a bug.

10. Water boarding is when a person thinks he or she is drowning. No physical harm is done. It should be noted that the U.S. military has performed waterboarding on thousands of its own members during military training.

The Obama administration needs to realize these interrogation practices has prevented at least 19 terrorists attacks including The "Second Wave" attack after 9-11 on Los Angeles and the Brooklyn Bridge attack.

- April 10, 2009 - President Barack Obama has requested $83.4 billion for U.S. military and diplomatic operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Pushing for special troop funding was something he opposed two years ago when he was a senator and George W. Bush was president. Obama's request, including money to send thousands more troops into Afghanistan, would push the costs of the two wars to almost $1 trillion since the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks against the United States, according to the Congressional Research Service. 
A, D: Two fold grading. Obama gets a D for first, disappointing his supporters who voted for him based on his campaign to end the Iraq war, not to push for new funding. Second Obama opposed the Bush administration on troop funding not too long ago but now has flipped flopped and is acting like the Bush administration with this request. Obama gets an A for making the right decision. Freedom isn't free. There should not be a price tag when it comes to defending America, her freedom and funding its military. Again, in this case, it seems Obama now as President is dealt with a dose of realty. The world looks different as President and now Obama fully understands the threat of terrorism. He can not follow his Presidential campaign anti Iraq war rhetoric.  As President, Obama has a responsibility to keep Americans safe.

- March 30 , 2009 - The Obama administration has abandoned the expression "war on terror" adopted by former president George W Bush
D : America is at war with terrorists. Obama should call it what it is. Dismissing the expression "war on terror" will not convince terrorists to despise America any less or stop them from launching terrorists attacks. Eliminating this expression only shows signs of pandering.

- Feb 20, 2009 - The Pentagon states that the Guantanamo Bay prison at the U.S. naval base in Cuba meets the standard for humane treatment laid out in the Geneva Conventions. This is according to a report for President Barack Obama, who has ordered the terrorist detention center closed within a year. Obama had ordered the review to be taken by Vice-Admiral Patrick Walsh led a team of investigators on a 13-day visit to inspect the camp. They found no violations of the Geneva treaties' ban on cruel, humiliating or degrading treatment.
A: Obama made the correct decision to request an investigation of the controversial prison. The report concludes what the Bush administration was claiming for eight years. So now that the Obama administration and the public are aware of the reporting, will the Gitmo Bay opponents realize the importance of this prison? And will this report persuade Obama to change his decision where he plans to close Gitmo Bay within a year? 

- Jan 23, 2009 - President Obama reverses a Bush policy by signing executive orders closing the detention camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, within a year; ending the C.I,A.’s secret prisons, and requiring all interrogations to follow the non coercive methods of the Army Field Manual.
F: Some of the most hardened terrorists are being held at Gitmo Bay. If this prison is closed where will these terrorists captives go? There is a good chance that they may end up in U.S. courts, held on American soil (yes, in your "backyard") or end up going free and being sent back to where they came from. In fact, senior U.S. intelligence has reported more than 100 previously released Gitmo Bay prisoners are now back fighting with Al Queda and killing American military troops. In regards to ending CIA secret prisons and putting forth new interrogation methods, America can only hope this decision will not affect the success these previous methods has had in thwarting more terrorist attacks.