Republican Sen. Ron Johnson said on Monday that many in the White House and "probably" President Obama himself believe that U.S. actions are to blame for Islamic terrorist attacks in the country.
Responding to a question from radio host Charlie Sykes about Obama's refusal to acknowledge "what we've been doing has not been effective" when it comes to ISIS, the Wisconsin senator said, "Based on his speech last night I think the answer to your question is yes, he is locked into his strategy of peace through withdrawal, leading from behind."
Johnson then turned his attention to the Obama administration's "mindset," noting past comments from Secretary of State John Kerry contrasting the Charlie Hebdo attack and the attack on Paris in November.
"Here's another thing, you hear Secretary Kerry musing about the Paris attacks, talking about Charlie Hebdo, and again, these are his words not mine, saying, 'well you know, you see some of the legitimacy, well not legitimacy, but some rationale for the Charlie Hebdo attack.'"
"No Mr. Secretary, there's not rational for slaughtering people because they published satire in cartoons," said Johnson.
"And yet, that really is, I think, the attitude of too many members of this administration, probably the president himself, that we have brought Islamic terrorist attacks on ourselves, from of our actions, because of our freedom, because of our liberty, because of the way we conduct ourselves," Johnson said. "That is wrong thinking and I think it's why you get a lecture on political correctness in a speech when I really think the American was looking for a, 'hey, what's the strategy for defeating this evil?'"