Another journalist executed by ISIS. -CNN

File photo of Steven Sotloff in Libya. CNN

The American journalist held by ISIS, Steven Sotloff, has been executed. -CNN. A video released today shows Sotloff being beheaded. The executioner, who appeared to be the same as the man who executed James Foley, said the killing was in response to U.S. airstrikes in Iraq. Sotloff was a 31 year old freelance journalist who had experience in several war zones. His mother released a video pleading for his release. Another man, British citizen David Haines, was threatened by ISIS as well. President Obama condemned the execution, but is facing bipartisan criticism for his response to ISIS. 

 My Comment:

Just in case you missed it, here is my post about James Foley, the first American journalist executed by ISIS. 

The situation is obviously horrible. It was fairly clear that ISIS wasn't going to let any of these hostages go and that Sotloff was going to be executed just like Foley was. I don't have much hope for Haines either, though of course, I still hope for the best. The whole situation is disgusting. Non-combatants should obviously never be executed and even if they were soldiers, this would still be a war crime. 

If there is any good news from this situation it is this. This appears to be the only way that ISIS can strike back against America. It seems that a major terrorist attack, for the moment, is outside of the capabilities of ISIS. For now that is true, but it might change in the future. 

As for the criticism of Obama, some of it might be justified, some of it isn't. He did try to rescue Foley and Sotloff but the mission failed due to bad intelligence. He deserves credit for trying at least and bad intelligence isn't unique to the Obama White House. However, Obama needs a clear plan on how to deal with ISIS and right now he doesn't seem to have one. He will face intense pressure to do something in retaliation for these executions.