We Searched for Two Key Phrases in Obama's 2015 National Security Strategy — and Found Zero Results

Earlier this month, the White House released its official "2015 National Security Strategy," outlining how the United States can "safeguard our interests against the risks of an insecure world." Throughout the entire 29-page document, the terms "radical Islam" and "Islamic extremism" both appear zero times, while "Islam" is mentioned just one time, according to a word search conducted by TheBlaze.

The report refers to the administration’s involvement in a "global campaign to degrade and ultimately defeat the Islamic State," but it does not examine the radical Islamic ideology that fuels the group and other like-minded terrorists around the world. The document references Al Qaeda and includes several references to "terrorism," but doesn’t elaborate any further about which types of terrorism pose the biggest threat.

President Barack Obama (AP/Isaac Brekken, File)

The only reference to Islam in the national security strategy reads: “We reject the lie that America and its allies are at war with Islam.”

Even when referring to radical Islamist terror groups like Al Qaeda and the Islamic State, the report labels them as “globally oriented groups.” Further, members of the groups are referred to as "foreign terrorist fighters" or "violent extremists."

Read more from Obama’s National Security Strategy:

The threat of catastrophic attacks against our homeland by terrorists has diminished but still persists. An array of terrorist threats has gained traction in areas of instability, limited opportunity, and broken governance. Our adversaries are not confined to a distinct country or region. Instead, they range from South Asia through the Middle East and into Africa. They include globally oriented groups like al-Qa’ida and its affiliates, as well as a growing number of regionally focused and globally connected groups— many with an al-Qa’ida pedigree like ISIL, which could pose a threat to the homeland.

We have drawn from the experience of the last decade and put in place substantial changes to our efforts to combat terrorism, while preserving and strengthening important tools that have been developed since 9/11. Specifically, we shifted away from a model of fighting costly, large-scale ground wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in which the United States—particularly our military—bore an enormous burden. Instead, we are now pursuing a more sustainable approach that prioritizes targeted counterterrorism operations, collective action with responsible partners, and increased efforts to prevent the growth of violent extremism and radicalization that drives increased threats. Our leadership will remain essential to disrupting the unprecedented flow of foreign terrorist fighters to and from conflict zones. We will work to address the underlying conditions that can help foster violent extremism such as poverty, inequality, and repression. This means supporting alternatives to extremist messaging and greater economic opportunities for women and disaffected youth. We will help build the capacity of the most vulnerable states and communities to defeat terrorists locally. Working with the Congress, we will train and equip local partners and provide operational support to gain ground against terrorist groups. This will include efforts to better fuse and share information and technology as well as to support more inclusive and accountable governance.

You can read the entire document here.

(YouTube)

Obama has been criticized by people on the left and right over his administration's apparent unwillingness to acknowledge the threat of radical Islam -- or even say the words out loud. Meanwhile, the Islamic State has continued to carry out barbaric acts across the Middle East, allegedly murdering men, women and children indiscriminately in its quest to conquer new territories.

That's not to say the group isn't getting any pushback.

After publishing a video of terrorists burning a Jordanian pilot to death in a cage, the Islamic State was reportedly pummeled by 56 airstrikes launched by Jordan on Sunday.

The country’s air force chief, Gen. Mansour al-Jabour, told reporters that the aggressive offensive is only the “beginning.”

(H/T: Buck Sexton)

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