Yes, take a breath and step back:
Sen. John McCain charged on Thursday that President Obama is “directly responsible” for the mass shooting in Orlando because his policy toward Iraq and Syria set the stage for the rise of the so-called Islamic State. Not long after, the former GOP presidential nominee watered down his startling accusation.
Given how the Left has rushed to blame some Americans for the jihadi attack, McCain's initial angry statement is sort of understandable in the heat of the moment, but this is as wrong as the Left's demands.
The jihadis inspired by their harsh version of Islam that they want to impose on all Moslems are to blame, of course.
Not that McCain doesn't have a point.
How often have I complained about the enormous amount of time it is taking to wreck the weak Islamic State in Iraq? What could go wrong, I've asked again and again, as we grant our enemy the precious gift of time.
As a state, the jihadis are weak compared to the amount of military power we can deploy with allies. Yet as long as we allow them to exist, they have time to hit us, abuse their subjects, and inspire jihadis abroad to kill--as one did in Orlando.
So yes, we do need to get on with the war to defeat them and not just add to the body count of high value targets killed by drone strikes. We are at war. Act like it.
But don't be confused about the key to stopping Orlando or the Boston Marathon, or the other attacks.
The hateful version of Islam that inspires these slime is the weapon. They will use guns of whatever type is legal or whatever kind they can get illegally. Or explosives. Or knives. Or pressure cooker bombs. Or fertilizer and fuel oil bombs. Or even box cutters and basic flying skills.
Not that I'm not willing to discuss the issue. But so often the anti-gun zealots are talking out of their butts, quite frankly.
Automatic weapons that fire all the rounds with one pull of the trigger are and have been for more than 80 years, illegal in America. So really, just stop bringing that up.
The gun show loophole is really an exemption for individuals who occasionally sell a personal weapon. Gun shows mostly have licensed dealers who do have to follow all relevant laws. Private individuals who show up to sell a weapon or two don't have to follow those laws. Perhaps we simply require you to be a licensed dealer to participate in a gun show. Then private individuals who want to sell an unwanted weapon to a friend can still do it without having to go through paperwork. Or perhaps require private individuals to go through a licensed dealer at the show, for a fee payable to the licensed dealer that makes it worthwhile.
Banning people on the no-fly or terror watch list from purchasing firearms is possible--as long as we make sure that there are rigorous procedures to make sure those on the lists deserve to be on them, and as long as there are solid ways to appeal that don't bankrupt the individual. Although I'm really uncomfortable allowing the government to deny a right based on accusation rather than conviction, perhaps there is a way to make this work.
So by all means look at the ways to keep jihadis from getting weapons if they don't do real harm to the right of law-abiding people to exercise the right to bear arms.
But focus on beating our jihadi enemies and don't turn our anger at each other to blame us for being jihadi victims.
The hatred that the jihadis cherish and cultivate is the real weapon we have to take away from our jihadi enemies. How they kill is mere detail, really.
