We saw all sorts of proposals at the GOP debate which are designed to defeat the international threat posed by ISIS. Most of them involve somebody fighting somebody somewhere, but one solution was absent which should have been obvious. Clearly we can get ISIS to come to the table and stop lopping off people’s heads and setting them on fire if we just sing to them. Sound crazy? Crazy like a fox, maybe. And now we’ve got just the guy for the job. Ladies and gentlemen… meet James Twyman. (Fox News)

An Oregon folk singer plans to leave next week to serenade the Islamic State, and he intends to bring the black-clad barbarians a prayerful message of peace — despite a warning from the State Department that his life could be in danger.

James Twyman, of Portland, Ore., told FoxNews.com he feels a “calling” and believes he can soften the hearts of the Islamist army known for beheading Westerners, throwing gays off of buildings and summarily executing innocent women and children.

“It’s going to be pretty powerful,” Twyman said, referring to his plan to have those attending and others around the world sing and pray for peace at the same time. “When people come
together and focus on something in a positive way…there’s scientific evidence that it can change things for the better.”

Twyman will travel to Israel, leaving from there to cross over into western Syria and set up a special concert in ISIS controlled territory. Now, I’m personally a big believer in the power of prayer and positive thinking, but I’m also fairly sure that the Almighty helps those who helps themselves and doesn’t always suffer fools gladly. Once in a generation or so you’ll come across a Daniel who can walk into the lions’ den and emerge unscathed, but I’m pretty sure that history has shown us that the lions wind up fighting over your tastier bits the vast majority of the time.

Now, assuming Twyman actually makes it there without somebody wrestling him to the ground and knocking some sense into him, what happens next? Is it even legal for him to go? Apparently so. But once the terrorists put a bag over his head and load him onto a Toyota pickup truck heading for an undisclosed desert location, do we have an obligation to risk any resources trying to get him back? His family might try to strike some sort of private ransom deal. The guy has published a number of popular books and albums, as well as probably getting some residuals from a couple of movies he’s been in. It sounds like they could come up with a couple of million to buy him back. And they may need to, because the State Department website indicates that he shouldn’t expect much help from Uncle Sam.

“There is a terrorist threat from violent extremist groups including the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, (ISIL), formerly known as Al Qaeda in Iraq (AQ), the al-Nusrah Front, and others,” reads another part of the warning. “U.S. citizens have been specifically targeted for kidnapping, both for ransom and political purposes, and murdered by members of terrorist and violent extremist groups in Syria. U.S. citizens have disappeared within Syria.

“Due to the security situation in Syria, the U.S. government’s ability to help U.S. citizens kidnapped or taken hostage is very limited,” the warning continues.

The problem with this scenario is that he may not be alone. Twyman claims he will be joined by, a large group of Jewish, Muslim and Christian leaders for his concert. Who are these leaders and how did they get talked into this? I’m not sure who’s going to pay to ransom them, but it could add up to a major cash windfall for the terrorists.

Exit question for Friday morning: Please submit your suggested song list for Mr. Twyman to play for Jihadi John jr.