The Patriot Post® · Sen. Ernst Describes REAL State of National Security

In January, Barack Obama delivered a rosy picture in his State of the Union Address. Sure, the Islamic State was a problem, but the group was a problem over there, in the Middle East, a problem that could only touch America by means of the Internet. Obama said, “over-the-top claims that this is World War III just play into their hands.” In other words, calm down. This too, shall pass.

Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA), a combat veteran of 20 years in the uniform, gave a different assessment during her speech at this year’s Conservative Political Action Conference. “The San Bernardino attacks proved this is not just some JV force in the Middle East,” Ernst said. “ISIS is present in all 50 states, according to the FBI. Think about that for a moment.”

She continued, highlighting the threat that Russia posed to world stability. While Obama talked a tough game, saying there’s a “new reality” and the United States needs to help remake the world’s balance of power and networks, Ernst was a bit more stark in her assessment.

> “Russia is taking advantage of our lack of leadership in Eastern Europe and the Middle East right now. Over the past seven years, the Obama-Clinton foreign policy strategy has been to give ground to Vladimir Putin from Ukraine to Syria, [and] to retreat from making tough choices in the defense of American interest in our national security.”

In making these comments, Ernst highlighted the need for leadership that sees the world for what it is, then acts with conviction, leadership, might suggest, that is found in lawmakers like Ernst.