Scarborough Castigates Obama on ISIS: 'It's Time We Start Acting Like We're at War'

On his Wednesday broadcast of “Morning Joe” on MSNBC, host Joe Scarborough excoriated President Barack Obama for his tepid action in opposing ISIS in Iraq and Syria.

According to Scarborough, Obama is only half-committal on doing what needs to be done, which doesn’t seem to be working. Therefore, Scarborough said Obama should either be all-in or all-out.

Transcript as follows:

“The quote we’ve been using a lot around here, on a lot of different things – it’s from Napoleon when he said, ‘If you’re going to take Vienna, then take Vienna,” Scarborough said. “Well, Vienna is one of the few places east of Paris that we haven’t sent troops other past decade, but we are involved in a war against the most radical form of Islamic extremism in Syria and Iraq. And if we are at war, if we are at war – then we have to win. How’s winning going to be defined? Well, in this case it is simple — evil has to lose. Right now, ISIS is on the march. Right now, the beheadings continue. Right now, towns and cities continue to fall. And right now the terrorists spread.

Like the American people, you know I’ve been supporting the president’s steady approach to this war. But now that we’re there, it’s time the commander-in-chief tears a page out of Gen. [Colin] Powell’s handbook because as a former secretary of state and chairman of the joint chiefs said, ‘When we go to war, we don’t want a fair fight.’ Our military commanders should be allowed to throw everything they have at the enemy. Kill and capture their leaders. Destroy their war making machine and bring our daughters and sons home as fast as possible.”

“Now you’re going to learn today that’s not happening in Iraq and Syria,” Scarborough added. “Instead, we have a president who has been accused too much on hand-wringing in domestic policy and is now as commander-in-chief like Solomon seeming intent on splitting the baby. This just won’t do. Our weakness is radical Islam’s strength. We’re at war. And it’s time we start acting like we’re at war. And if we’re going to take Vienna, then take Vienna. But if the president’s not willing to do that and he’s not willing to give the commanders what they need to do to get the job done, then just tell us and bring our sons and daughters home today.”

Follow Jeff Poor on Twitter @jeff_poor