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Obamas third term? Photo: Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images

In one of his first acts as commander-in-chief, Donald Trump ordered his top military advisers to conduct a 30-day review of Americas strategy for defeating ISIS.

Given that precise timeline and Trumps past promises that he actually had a secret plan for defeating the terrorist group ready to go one might have expected the White House to unveil its vision for combating ISIS in late February or early March.

But one would have been wrong. Five months passed before the president even indicated that a new strategy was imminent: On May 21, Trump announced that he would detail his administrations plan for defeating ISIS in about two weeks.

A little over two weeks later, the president revealed that his long-awaited plan was finally, truly almost ready and he would outline it at a news conference in two weeks.

Nearly a month later, were still waiting for that news conference.

One can imagine a whole host of reasons for Trumps procrastination. Perhaps, the administration has been distracted by the alarming developments in North Korea (and/or the special prosecutors office). Or maybe gaming out a plan for defeating as singular an enemy as the Islamic State simply takes a lot of time. Or, perhaps, the president just has little interest in telling the public what his military plans are, and says thats coming in two weeks to literally any policy proposal hes ever asked about.

But the Daily Beast suggests an alternative answer. The outlet notes that U.S. forces have removed 50 top ISIS leaders from the battlefield since Trump took office down from 80, in the last six months of Obamas tenure. Further, the militants killed on Trumps watch have generally been lower-ranking than those targeted by the previous administration.

These facts dont reflect the inferiority of the Trump administrations anti-ISIS strategy so much as the sufficiency of the strategy it inherited: The military is simply running out of high-value ISIS targets to kill. Under Obama, the U.S. military was effectively wiping out ISISs leadership.

Now, you cant kill a violent, anti-American ideology by dropping American bombs in the Middle East. And you cant prevent disaffected, psychologically damaged young men from seeking meaning in acts of spectacular violence. So lone-wolf terrorists provided Trump with plenty to demagogue about in 2016. But to the extent that sheer force can solve a problem like ISIS, the Obama administrations approach was working just fine:

Trumps changes to the campaign [against ISIS] so far have been tacticalnamely, giving the military more autonomy to strike, including special operators. But the effectiveness of the current Obama-era strategy of attacking ISIS via local forces together with allies calls into question whether theres a need for more dramatic revision.

Thats presented a dilemma for those working on the Trump anti-ISIS strategy and slowed its public unveiling, U.S. officials tell The Daily Beast. The White House has asked defense officials to come up with new ideas to help brand the Trump campaign as different from its predecessor, according to two U.S. officials and one senior administration official. They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive debates.

To review, the Trump administrations vision for fighting ISIS differs from its predecessors in two key ways:

1) This White House believes in giving greater autonomy to its military commanders, thereby enabling them to make the best tactical decisions, unencumbered by petty political concerns.

2) It also believes in asking its generals to alter their strategic plans, not because the administration doubts their military efficacy, but solely because it finds them difficult to brand.

Cant you just feel America being made safe again?

Some California legislators represent about 300 times as many people as some New Hampshire legislators. Does that violate the U.S. Constitution?

At an emergency meeting at the U.N., Nikki Haley said the U.S. will use military force if we must.

The White House reportedly asked the military for a new anti-ISIS plan because its first one was hard to brand as a break from Obama.

The government reportedly promised the White House cheering crowds for Trumps speech, and this is how it will deliver.

It was apparently buried by the owner of the old Danceteria nightclub in the 1980s.

Ending the Medicaid expansion will eliminate an estimated 1.2 million jobs. But the greatest jobs president God ever created doesnt seem to care.

The show set a new viewership record.

If he runs in 2020 much less in 2024 Bernie Sanders would be pushing the envelope on the maximum acceptable age of elected political leaders.

Paul Ryan: You have to remember the law is in what the actuaries tell us [is] a death spiral. Well, I happen to have some actuaries right here.

White House aides are apparently worried that Trump wont be ready to meet with the KGB agent turned strongman.

Stay in an attempt to influence a hostile administration, or go when your personal red line is crossed?

North Korea places a huge value on projecting itself as a Great Power that can deter its enemies. And thats true, whether or not it has nukes.

On July Fourth weekend, Senate Republicans either hid from their constituents or were showered in praise for not passing their health-care bill.

[T]he Senate health-care bill boils down to benefit cuts for the poor to pay for tax cuts for the rich. Heavens!

Representative Clay Higgins, once known as the Cajun John Wayne, has a knack for courting national controversy.

Miosotis Familia was a 12-year veteran of the force.

The president tried to be a bit too inoffensive when referring to Karen Pence.

Pyongyangs first ICBM test doesnt leave the U.S. with great options and tweeting probably wont help.

Christie refused to apologize for the photos, saying, I think my poll numbers show that I dont care about optics.

This appears to be getting a little excessive.

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Trump Rejected Military's ISIS Strategy Because It Was Too Similar to Obama's - New York Magazine

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (NBC) Illinois lawmakers voted Tuesday to rename a portion of Interstate 55 after former President Barack Obama.

The state Senate voted in favor a resolution passed by the House last week to designate the stretch of I-55 from the Tri-State Tollway south to mile marker 202 near Pontiac as the Barack Obama Presidential Expressway.

State Rep. LaShawn Ford introduced the legislation in February to honor the former president, who calls Chicagos South Side home and served as an Illinois state senator before being elected to the U.S. Senate in 2004.

We can imagine that then state Senator Obama made many trips between Springfield and Chicago on Interstate 55, so it is very fitting that we rename Interstate 55 as the Barack Obama Expressway, Ford said at the time.

The stretch of I-55 from Lake Shore Drive in Chicago to the Tri-State Tollway is currently named after Adlai Stevenson, the late Illinois governor and two-time presidential candidate.

Ford initially wanted to rename the rest of the 270-mile stretch of the expressway to East St. Louis after Obama, but the portion being renamed was changed in March.

Renaming I-55 for President Barack Obama would not only be an honor for Americas 44th president, but it will be the right measure we should approve for Illinois very own state Senator and U.S. Senator, Ford said, adding, This would be one of the many highways and byways that will be named for Barack Obama, so it is only right that Illinois be at the forefront of the many actions that will rename streets and highways for President Obama."

The resolution asks that the Illinois Department of Transportation place signs bearing the expressways new name at locations consistent with state and federal regulations.

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Lawmakers rename part of I-55 for former president Obama - KWQC-TV6

The ex-president has been spreading a broader message that has sometimes gotten lost in the headlines.

Most of the headlines emerging following U.S. President Barack Obamas much-anticipated keynote address at the 4th Congress of the Indonesian Diaspora last week in Jakarta his first in Asia since leaving office naturally focused on his remarks that concerned Indonesia more specifically. But though Obamas speech certainly included issues related to Indonesia in particular, it also had a broader message about addressing the challenges brought about by globalization and technological change that he has sought to spread in his post-presidency so far.

Like many of his other speeches, Obamas address at the conference a biennial event established and led by the Indonesian Diaspora Global Network chairman and former U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia Dino Patti Djalal was wide-ranging. And unsurprisingly, it included a lot of references to Indonesia, where he had briefly grown up with his family from 1967 to 1971 and had returned on a ten-day holiday with his wife and daughters on this trip. Indeed, at various points, Obama broke into Bahasa Indonesia, repeatedly producing large rounds of applause among the audience.

Much of the media coverage of Obamas speech centered on his statements about Indonesian moderation and tolerance, which was no surprise considering the lingering concerns on this score following the Jakarta gubernatorial elections held in May (See: Is Political Islam Really on the Rise in Indonesia?). And, to be sure, Obama did dwell on the countrys tolerance, pluralism, and religious diversity noting the countrys constitution, religious monuments, and even the tolerant views of his own Indonesian stepfather even as he warned that this reputation ought not to be taken for granted. Obamas meeting with Jakartas governor-elect Anies Baswedan who had tarnished his reputation as a progressive, pluralist candidate by courting radical voices to garner conservative votes during his victory in the May election was also scrutinized (See: The Trouble With Indonesias Ahok Test).

Yet it is also worth emphasizing that the main point of Obamas speech was a much broader one that he has repeated often during his post-presidency thus far: that we ought to acknowledge both the opportunities as well as the challenges that globalization and technological change can bring to various groups in society, whether it be rising inequality, job losses due to automation, or rising polarization and fracturing of the media environment that can disincentivize young people from getting involved in politics.

This theme is by no means new. It is one that Obama and his administration had begun to address towards the end of his presidency when the rise of populism began to take hold whether it be his farewell address to the United Nations last September or its Future of Artificial Intelligence Initiative that examined, among other things, the impact of AI on the U.S. economy and jobs. And it is one that he has continued to harp on in his post-presidency.

In a speech at the Montreal Chamber of Commerce back in June and in remarks after receiving the Profile in Courage Award at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston in May, Obama acknowledged that during times of disruption, some may be tempted to revert to isolationism and nationalism and call for the reduction of the rights of others or a retreat to within borders or tribe. And speaking at a global food and innovation summit in Milan in May, Obama urged the audience to pay attention to from automation to inequality lest there by backlash and resistance by those who feel left behind.

Obama has also been attentive to the effects of globalization and technological change on the youth and their civic engagement. For instance, during a session with young leaders at the University of Chicago in late April, his first public remarks since leaving the presidency, Obama said that one of his concerns was how to break down barriers that would prevent the youth from participating in politics. The conversation that he had with the young leaders on stage touched on several of these, be it rising polarization or media fragmentation.

This broader theme no doubt played out during Obamas Indonesia speech as well. Indeed, he framed his speech around the fact that the world was at a crossroads, with countries like Indonesia enjoying greater prosperity from increasing globalization and technological advancement but also challenges. And rather than just praise Indonesia unconditionally, he made it clear that values like tolerance needed to be cultivated and nurtured, including among the youth, and that the fight for those values against those who promote intolerance was an important part of Indonesias future.

And apart from delivering the address and meeting a number of officials during his visit to Indonesia including President Joko Jokowi Widodo Obama also hosted a small roundtable with young Indonesian leaders as he has looked to do in other international visits including in Germany back in May. These events are part of his ongoing work to develop the Obama Foundation which he intends to serve as a way to develop the next generation of active citizens and emerging young leaders.

As Obama continues on his engagements in his post-presidency, we are likely to continue to see him deliver speeches and attend events similar to those in Indonesia. Though these will naturally be customized for the countries he visits, it is important to keep the broader message he has been trying to convey in mind.

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What Obama's Indonesia Trip Revealed About His Post-Presidency - The Diplomat

Former President Barack Obama. Michael Ukas - Pool /Getty Images

Though Barack Obama has kept a relatively low profile since he left the presidency, the Hillreportedon July 2 that he has been keeping tabs on Democraticleadership. According to the Hill, He has also met with and has had phone conversations with Democratic National Committee ChairmanTom Perezthroughout the spring,according to two sources. TheDNCsource described Obamas chats with Perez as regular check ins. Obama former political adviser and Obama Foundation CEO David Simas was also cited as having regular contact withDNCand Democratic Party officials.

These check-ins with Perez, Obamas secretary of Labor who hehandpicked to stop progressive Congressman Keith Ellison from becoming DNC chair, are just one aspect of how Obama has been pulling the strings of the Democratic establishment since he left office. In February, Politicoreportedthat former attorney general and currentcorporate lawyerEric Holder affirmed that Obama would be returning to politics soon by aiding his efforts with the National Democratic Redistricting Committee (NRDC), which opposes the Trump administrations Voter Fraud Committee. In April 2017, it came out that Obama isscheduledto deliver a highly paid speech for a Wall Street firm later this year, just as the Obama Foundations board lined upwith big bankers and Wall Street executives. Obama has also maintained his international relationships: He metwith German Chancellor Angela Merkel in May andSouth Korean leaders on July 3.Though he has half-heartedly attempted to stay out of the spotlight, Obama has made it clear that he is running the Democratic Partys resistance to Trump.

Just as he did during his president, Obama has favored elites since he left office. He has vacationedwith billionaire Richard Branson and endorsedanti-labor unionFrench President Emmanuel Macronwho recentlyclaimed France needs a king and insisted his thoughts are too complex to attend a press conference. Further, Obama has pushed theDemocratic Partyto continue its courtship of wealthy donors instead of embracing Sen. Bernie Sanders popular reforms. Obama has failed to speak out against the ban on lobbyist and PAC donations to theDNCbeing lifted and the super delegate system, both of which ensure party elites control over the party.

When Obama assumed office, Democrats had a super majority in Congress. During his tenure as president, the party suffered drastic losses, but he enacted no reforms to change its downward trajectory. While Obama remains behind the scenes dictating and swaying leadership decisions, the partys voters will perceive that the Democratic Party represents the status quo.The minor changes the Democratic Party has made, such as getting a newDNCchair, have been enacted with his blessing.Obamas meddling behind the scenes inhibits theDemocratic Partysability to reform and make up for its failures over the last decade. It is a worrying scenario for the Democratic Party as it desperately tries to strengthen its weak opposition to Trump and Republicans.

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In Democratic Party, Obama Still Reigns as King of Trump Resistance - Observer

Federal, state and local law enforcement officers and prosecutors have honored a longstanding practice to assure public safety and the rule of law by enforcing the laws that legislatures enact. In that spirit, Department of Justice policies since the 1980s directed federal prosecutors to charge the most serious readily provable offense, unless justice required otherwise. Its undisputed that this charging practice, applied over the course of several Republican and Democratic administrations in recent decades, contributed to the reduction of violent crime by half between 1991 and 2014.

The Obama administrations Smart on Crime initiative touted by former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates in a recent oped in the Washington Post titled Making America scared again wont make us safer undermined those hard-fought gains in public safety, and ushered in significant increases in violent crime. In 2015, violent crime rose 5.6 percentthe greatest increase since 1991and included a shocking 10.8 percent increase in homicide rates. And, although the final numbers for 2016 have not been published, the preliminary data suggests another substantial increase in the violent crime rate.

Among the policies championed by then Attorney General Eric Holder and Deputy Attorney General Yates was one that reversed long-standing charging policies and directed federal prosecutors to avoid minimum sentences against drug traffickers, as mandated by Congress, and instead pursue lesser charges. Despite the well-known and deadly violence associated with drug cartels, gangs and their networks, the Holder-Yates policies directed federal prosecutors in certain cases to under-charge drug trafficking cases and avoid triggering statutory minimum penalties by not pressing charges on the actual amount of drugs that traffickers distributed, such as heroin, crack cocaine, and methamphetamine.

Despite the evocative second chance narrative that stirs support among sentencing reformers, law enforcement professionals also know that the people who end up in federal prison work hard to get there.

Changes in federal law enforcement policy can ripple through communities across the country and affect their safety. Smart on Crime was part of a larger policy shift within the Obama administration from drug abstinence and accountability to drug acceptance and victimization. Since its inception, correlative increases in drug abuse, overdose deaths and violent crime have had a devastating impact on every community, regardless of sex or demographics. The reduced charging and sentencing of thousands of drug traffickers and their early release from prison - all hallmarks of the Holder-Yates policies of the Obama years have begun to leave their devastating mark downstream on the safety of communities across the nation. The surge in violent crime should not be surprising. Drug trafficking by its very nature, is a violent crime.

Take the recent account of Michael Bell, a former federally-convicted methamphetamine dealer who, when facing new state charges in Tennessee for kidnapping and domestic assault, shot two sheriffs deputies during a court proceeding. Bell would have still been in federal prison had he not been released in 2015, three years earlier than scheduled, because of the across-the-board sentencing reductions prior administration leaders pushed the U.S. Sentencing Commission to impose.

Not surprisingly, those former officials continue to use the term low level, non-violent offender to promote a sanitized narrative of drug trafficking for profit. Law enforcement professionals know that drug trafficking enterprises are comprised of integrated networks of street corner dealers, mid-level traffickers, distributors, producers and cartel leaders, whose collective efforts inherently rely on violence and have contributed to the deaths of over 50,000 Americans last year in drug overdoses alone.

Despite the evocative second chance narrative that stirs support among sentencing reformers, law enforcement professionals also know that the people who end up in federal prison work hard to get there. Few offenders go to prison for their first offense, or even the second or third. Many of the people who end up in federal prison have committed violent crimes, are members of drug trafficking and criminal organizations or simply have chosen to continue to disregard our laws. Because the majority of criminals admit their guilt, plea bargaining involves the dismissal or reduction of related charges, which greatly reduces the criminal histories and sentences of countless criminals. That means the numbers and types of crimes for which many of them are arrested, but never charged or convicted, are incalculable. Criminals are committing thousands of crimes and violent acts against our citizens for which they are never held accountable.

Seeking justice and keeping the peace, it is federal law enforcement agencies and their state and local partners who will strive to enforce the laws that Congress enacted to protect our country and its citizens. The surest way to preserve public safety is to honor the laws the people have passed and to enforce them to the fullest.

Lawrence J. Leiser is president of the National Association of Assistant United States Attorneys. Nathan Catura is president of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association. Bob Bushman is president of the National Narcotics Officers Associations Coalition. Al Regnery is chairman of the Law Enforcement Action Network. Ron Hosko is president of the Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund.Harold Eavenson is President of the National Sheriffs Association.Larry Langberg is President of the Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI.

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Law Enforcement leaders: How smart was Obama's 'Smart on Crime' initiative? Not very - Fox News