Physics tells us that for every subatomic particle, there is an anti-particle. For example, for the proton there is the antiproton, which has the same mass and charge as the proton, except that the charge is negative instead of positive.

This situation does not usually occur in human life. But occasionally, we see persons who come close to being an anti-person − whose beliefs and actions are almost the exact opposite of another person.

The popular TV series “24” came to an end in 2014 after nine seasons. The protagonist is Jack Bauer, a counter-terrorism officer in a mythical government agency. The agency is mythical in two senses:

(1) It does not actually exist.

(2) Regrettably, there is no government agency that is so effective and focused on the fight against terrorism.

Bauer is a flawed hero, but a hero nonetheless:

• He repeatedly risks his life and his career to do whatever is necessary to save innocent lives from terrorist attacks.
• He is subjected to harsh criticism because of his methods, but he is his own severest critic – and he gets results that save lives.
• If there is something unpleasant that needs to be done, he does it himself rather than sending subordinates.
• He takes responsibility rather than fobbing it off on others.
• He calls terrorism “terrorism” rather than “workplace violence” or use other deceptive weasel words.
• He does not try to deceive others about serious problems, and as a result he does not deceive himself.
• He does not seek power, but when necessary he wields it effectively.
• He cannot always trust others, but others can always trust him.
• He chooses the best associates in order to get the job done, rather than surrounding himself with second-raters in order to make himself look good by comparison.
• He evokes confidence in his friends and fear in his enemies, rather than the reverse.
• He knows that reality exists in the outside world, not on paper, and he is not distracted by paper-shufflers or pencil-pushers.
• He knows that the world is a dangerous place, and he is not confused by unrealistic theories or utopian notions.
• He remains focused on what he is actually doing, and he does not waste time on self-important posturing in an effort to impress others.
• At first glance he is not very impressive, but when you get to know him, you hold him in high regard.
• His primary goal is to protect the lives of Americans.

Go through the list of Jack Bauer’s qualities. Now tell me that President Obama wasn’t as close as possible to the anti-Bauer.

Recall that in 2010, President Obama reversed longstanding American policy, and publicly promised not to employ nuclear weapons to retaliate against attacks using chemical or biological weapons. We do not possess chemical or biological weapons, so our only recourse against attacks by such weapons of mass destruction would be to use nuclear weapons − or to send our young men and women into combat with their right hands tied behind their backs.

This is not idle speculation. In the first Gulf War, Saddam Hussein was known to have chemical and biological weapons. Remember “Chemical Ali” and “Doctor Germ”? Saddam had used poison gas against his own people as well as against Iran. But President George H. W. Bush and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher warned Saddam in that if he used such weapons on our troops, we would retaliate with nuclear weapons. As a result, Saddam did not use these weapons.

After our 2003 invasion of Iraq, the liberal media trumpeted our “failure” to find weapons of mass destruction. True, we failed to find stockpiles of recently made weapons. But we did find over 550 artillery shells and rockets filled with mustard gas or nerve gas. Revealingly, this report soon vanished from the mainstream media.

These weapons were left over from the first Gulf War and might not have functioned as designed. But the poison gas could have been removed and given to terrorists. Poison gas can still be lethal a half-century later. In 2003 a Chinese worker was killed and dozens injured when they unearthed a Japanese mustard-gas canister left over from World War II – and thus at least 58 years old. Yes, there were WMDs in Iraq.

The point is that during the first Gulf War, Saddam had functional chemical and biological weapons, but he did not use them for fear of nuclear retaliation. The point is that terrorists may well have been denied access to chemical or biological weapons, because the nations that produce these weapons feared nuclear retaliation against themselves. But no more.

President Obama reversed the longstanding policy of prior administrations, both Democrat and Republican. He intended to retaliate against attacks with chemical or biological weapons by using only conventional forces. Obama’s approach was the precise opposite of the film “The Untouchables,” in which Sean Connery as Officer Malone advises:

You wanna’ know how to get Capone? They pull a knife, you pull a gun. He sends one of yours to the hospital, you send one of his to the morgue.

This approach would be echoed by every successful military commander in history. But President Obama, the anti-Malone as well as the anti-Bauer, favored the opposite approach. He planned to counter the enemy’s force with inferior force − and what is even worse, to announce this policy publicly, so potential enemies were sure to learn of it.

Bauer works with people from other nations to achieve his goals. But when more than 50 world leaders went to Paris to join President Hollande in a huge march against terrorism, President Obama stayed home. Sometimes what one fails to do is as revealing as what one does.

When Obama declared, “The future must not belong to those who slander the prophet of Islam,” perhaps for once he meant what he said, so he could not participate in a march protesting the murder of cartoonists at Charlie Hebdo. After all, the terrorists put into practice the principle he enunciated.

What is missing from this picture? An American president.

I’m not sure I would want Jack Bauer as president. He’s a little too quick on the trigger for such a responsible office. But I am quite sure I did not want Barack Obama as president. He seemed to be bending every effort to encourage our enemies and discourage our friends.

Now look at all the prospective Democrat candidates for 2020. Do any talk about national defense, except to claim we are spending to much on it? Do any mention that if all their social programs are to be funded – or even some of them – the money must come from somewhere. Are where is somewhere? Higher taxes and drastic cuts to defense.

Perhaps most important, if any of these anti-defense candidates becomes president, what will thousands of officers and senior noncoms do? They will retire as soon as they can, or simply apply for separation. Serve under Bernie or Joe? Risk their lives, and the lives of their people, under a president who does not consider America exceptional, or perhaps even acceptable? Are you joking?

Donald Trump doesn’t bear the least resemblance to Jack Bauer physically. Still, the similarity is undeniable. Both represent someone you really don’t want to mess with.

National defense is the first duty of the government in general, and of the president in particular. National defense is not an elective. National defense is a required course, and I doubt that any of the Democrat hopefuls could get a passing grade. It is becoming painfully obvious that they don’t know Jack.

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