In the 2012 presidential campaign, Barack Obama wove a narrative about having “decimated” al-Qaida. His bravado was as tiresome as it was untrue. In recent months, al-Qaida has made gains in Iraq and Syria, while Afghanistan has also deteriorated. Now there are two more stories of al-Qaida’s resurgence. First, according to a U.S. counterterrorism official, “We know al-Qaida is using Syria to identify [American and Western] individuals they can recruit, provide them additional indoctrination so they’re further radicalized, and leverage them into future soldiers, possibly in the U.S.” Since the civil war in Syria began three years ago, at least 70 Americans have traveled there, many to fight with the rebels against Bashar al-Assad’s government. Most are still there, but FBI director James Comey says the agency is keeping tabs on them if they return.

Recall that the administration’s bent has been to aid the rebels against Assad, believing in the so-called democratic wave behind the “Arab Spring.” Yet the rebels are increasingly dominated by Islamic fascists.

The second story is even more germane to the 2012 election, as the details of the attack on Benghazi was a prime lie of Obama and his team. Hours after the attack – on Sept. 11, 2012 was the first clue – the Obama administration knew that Ansar al Sharia in Benghazi claimed responsibility. Now, 16 months later, the Obama State Department is officially designating three Ansar al Sharia groups as terrorist organizations tied to al-Qaida. Sufian bin Qumu, the leader of the Derna branch of Ansar al Sharia, trained with Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan and fought with jihadis against U.S. forces there. He then spent a few years at the terrorist resort at Guantanamo Bay before checking out to continue his work.

Meanwhile, three days after the Benghazi attack, members of Ansar al Sharia in Tunisia ransacked the U.S. Embassy in Tunis. And yet Obama and his team continued to deny this throughout the campaign, while touting Obama’s success against al-Qaida as a reason to re-elect him. With a second term secured, he can now quietly dispense with the charade. If only that meant seriously dealing with U.S. national security.