Bill Maher shreds GOP 'chickenhawks' for recycling 'empty tough-guy talk' on campaign trail

Bill Maher closed Real Time out on Friday by ripping the current crop of Republican presidential hopes for using the Islamic State extremist group (ISIS) as campaign fodder, much like the party did with Iraq 12 years ago.

"They say, 'Sh*t in your pants,' and we say, 'How much?'" he said. "We've learned nothing. The Republican campaign trail today is the same empty tough-guy talk from chickenhawks -- same as it was in 2003."

He mocked former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee for comparing military action against ISIS to blowing a snake's head off with a shotgun.

"How about once, leave the snake alone? Just go to church and handle something else," Maher said chidingly. "I've been in the woods, and I've never had a snake problem that couldn't be solved by distance."

Distance, Maher argued, was the key for extremists, who are more likely to attack US military forces when they are inside their countries, and not out of some type of envy over American "freedom."

"If it helps you conservatives, think of it this way: you don't like mexicans in your country, and all they want to do is mow your lawn," he said.

He also reminded the audience that Friday marked the anniversary of two different political milestones.

"Today, May 1st, is the anniversary of the day in 2003 when George [W.] Bush landed on an aircraft carrier and prematurely announced 'Mission Accomplished' in the Iraq war," he explained. "And somehow, possibly because [Barack] Obama's a ninja warrior, today, May 1st, is also the day in 2011 when he actually accomplished the mission by ordering SEAL Team 6 to kill [Osama] bin Laden."

Watch Maher's commentary, as posted online on Friday, below.