There is deep anger among some working in the CIA, DIA and other American intelligence agencies.
That's because president Obama told “60 Minutes” it was an intel failure -- not his fault --that ISIS grew into a monster.
STEVE KROFT, “60 MINUTES CORRESPONDENT”: “How did they end up where they are, in control of so much territory? Was that a complete surprise to you?”
OBAMA: “Well, I think our head of the intelligence community, Jim Clapper, has acknowledged that I think they underestimated what had been taking place in Syria.”
So at this point President Obama has not taken responsibility for the botched intelligence on ISIS, and that has led to some evaluations.
First up, on November 13th, 2013, the deputy assistant secretary of state for Iraq and Iran said this in front of a House committee:
BRETT MCGURK, DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE FOR IRAQ AND IRAN: “ISIL is led by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, a specially designated global terrorist under U.S. law who is now based in Syria. Earlier this year, Baghdadi announced a campaign of terror to include attacks against Iraqi security services, government targets, and civilians. ((EDIT)) There is no question that ISIL is growing roots in Syria and in Iraq.”
Okay, that means the president had to know that the State Department believed ISIS was a threat.
Number two, on February 11th, 2014, the director of the Defense Intelligence Agency told Senator Joe Manchin that ISIS was a major problem.
SEN. JOE MANCHIN (D-WV): “How imminent of a threat does the resurgence of al Qaeda affiliates pose for the regional stability there?”
GEN. MICHAEL FLYNN, DIRECTOR OF THE DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE AGENCY: “I think it’s increasingly a concern that we’re going to have to pay very close attention to, not only inside of Iraq, but for the whole region, as you’re highlighting.”
So again President Obama had to know a terror threat was brewing, yet the president did nothing.
Talking Points believes Mr. Obama does not want to engage the War on Terror in general.
Yes, he will order drone strikes and some Special Forces activity, but he does not want the U.S.A to launch major offenses to degrade terror groups.
Therefore the president looks away, hoping that a situation like ISIS and Syria will go away.
And now President Obama is paying a price for his passive approach to the jihad, as the beheadings of two Americans by the ISIS savages have awakened the American public.
The anti-terror situation is bleak. For decades Pakistan has undermined Afghanistan and America by harboring the Taliban.
President Obama well aware of that.
For decades Iran has funded Hezbollah and trained a variety of Shia terrorists on Iranian soil.
President Obama well aware.
The al Qaeda leader al-Zawahiri still at large ... where is he? Some country has to have him.
But again, the pro-terrorist nations around the world do not fear the United States.
I mean what did we do to Pakistan when they harbored bin Laden all those years? Nothing.
And when the Pakistanis imprisoned the man who helped bring down bin Laden, Dr. Shakil Afridi, President Obama again did nothing.
The doctor still languishes in prison.
So Mr. Obama's resume on terrorism is about as weak as you can get.
And that's a fact.
And that's the memo.