Seems like no nation wants to take the lead to fight the Islamic State. So much for Barack Obama’s “international community” and “leading from behind.” Each one of them has a 1-2-3-not-it approach to summoning enough initiative for ending the Islamic State once and for all. Oh sure, Syrian rebels, the Peshmerga and the Iraqi army are all battling corners of the group on their turf, and the West is content to lob a few bombs in Islamic State territory every day, but no one has set a vision for the endgame. Now, the general secretary of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, announced the organization won’t be leading the effort to end the caliphate and ensure security for its partner nations.

“Muslims are on the front line in this war,” Stoltenberg said. “Most victims are Muslims, and most of those who fight against the [Islamic State] are Muslims. We can not carry on this struggle for them. The United States has a limited number of special forces. In the foreground, however, is strengthening local forces. This is not easy, but it’s the only option.” Despite the attack on America’s homeland in San Bernardino, Obama is content — using National Review’s Arthur Herman’s analogy — to huddle behind the Maginot Line while Nazi Germany perfects its Blitzkrieg tactics. Instead, he addressed the nation Sunday to say he was doubling down on his strategy of “inherent resolve” and oh, to make firearms more difficult to acquire, because that would disrupt the jihadists who by the way are waging a “knife intifada” in Israel. It’s time Obama adopted a winning strategy.