Are Paris attacks act of desperation?

Only time will tell, but Republican exaggerations of the prowess of ISIS aside, killing 100 people at a rock concert is not necessarily an expansion of their power.

The Obama Administration and other countries claim they are shrinking the size of the caliphate. The U.S. president meant with Russia's Vladimir Putin over the weekend, suggesting the two countries' relations are warming because of the threat the mostly Sunni Muslim group poses.

This is not the first time a country has dealt with terror attacks in urban areas, particularly France. The Algerian War was a training manual for Paris.

There are things that can be done, though annoying. Forcing people to run their bags through security check points only adds a few minutes to the daily shopping.

Though not impossible, even without much additional security it would be much harder for ISIS to attack a rock concert in the U.S.

Apparently, the GOP doesn’t understand the meaning of the word “contained.” Obama’s message that ISIS was contained meant they have been stopped from coming here in any major way.

Contained means they do exist somewhere.

The organization is relying increasingly on outliers. This a major step back from being able to move around Iraq and Syria at will on Humvees that the West had given client states.

They rely on communications that are routinely read by Western and Russian intelligence. Forced to plan attacks without consulting with the leadership limits their effectiveness.

At the same time, when they brag of their exploits they reveal what they are planning.

These are not revolutionaries capable of taking power. Concentrating their forces makes them drone targets.

Even before the latest attacks Obama’s war planners had said they would destroy operational oil fields funding ISIS operations. Although attacks that destroyed hospitals suggest Western jets do not draw any lines, they can simply ignore all rules of engagements and destroy any village thought to support or be used by ISIS, killing even their goats.

The U.S. was launching more air strikes while ISIS was killing civilians in Paris. Washington claimed to have killed the leader of ISIS in Libya. Can ISIS provide a list of the people they kill. Of course they do not have to because the media does it for them.
Is Obama likely to relax security on ISIS -- not likely. With their numbers of mindless devotees it is always possible that a few will get through any defenses.
As for the French, in their long history this will be a small note. During the French Revolution the streets were constantly bloody, and the killers were the French themselves. They survived and democracy prospered.