Ted Cruz demanded an end to any plans of absorbing Syrian refugees in the wake of the terrorist attacks in Brussels, and a more robust response from Barack Obama than just “another lecture on Islamophobia.” In his press conference in Washington, Cruz declared the vetting program in place at State “woefully inadequate,” and ripped Obama for participating in Raúl Castro’s propaganda stunts in Cuba and “enthusiastically agreeing with the Castros on their attacks on America.” Instead, “President Obama should be planning to travel to Brussels” to show unity with our Western allies — a gesture that Obama rejected after the Paris attacks.

Fox News carried the presser:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbPibBoA_LM

Townhall’s Cortney O’Brien reported on Cruz’ presser as it happened:

“Today’s attacks in Brussels underscores this is a war,” Cruz said. “This is not a lone war. ISIS has declared jihad.”

“It is way past time we have a president who will acknowledge this evil and will call it by it’s name and use the full force and fury to defeat ISIS,” he continued. “Until they are defeated, these attacks will continue. Their target is each and every one of us.”

Cruz, one of five remaining presidential candidates, urged America needs a leader who is not afraid to speak about terrorism in bold terms.

“We need a president who sets aside political correctness,” Cruz insisted. “We don’t need another lecture about Islamophobia.”

Cruz also rebuked Donald Trump for suggesting that the US should “retreat from NATO” in the middle of the war. “Even Barack Obama hasn’t gone so far” as to make that suggestion, Cruz said, calling it a “pre-emptive surrender.” It’s the toughest criticisms that Cruz has made against his Republican rival for the nomination, at least outside of a major debate.

However, it’s clear that most of Cruz’ frustration and disgust was aimed at the current occupant of the White House, and the Democrats’ frontrunner for their nomination, Hillary Clinton. The response to Trump came as an answer to a question from the press, but Cruz went after the Obama-Hillary “political correctness” of the past seven years unprompted.

The only way to eliminate these threats is to defeat ISIS as soon as possible, Cruz argues, and it’s difficult to argue against that position. Sitting back and setting up security pickets clearly hasn’t worked, and ISIS recruitment in the West grows in proportion to their staying power in Iraq and Syria. The West, and especially the Obama administration, hasn’t taken the “jayvees” seriously until it was far too late, and we will suffer the same kinds of attacks soon if we do not elect leadership with a serious grasp of the threat radical Islam poses.