Touting progress, Obama says Islamic State is losing ground

[webfact]

Touting progress, Obama says Islamic State is losing ground
JOSH LEDERMAN, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama portrayed the U.S.-led coalition Monday as gaining ground against the Islamic State amid an expanded U.S. effort and ample signs of progress, but conceded more difficulties lay ahead in fighting what he described as a nimble and opportunistic enemy.

"We're starting to see some progress," the president said during a rare visit to the Pentagon, ticking off a list of towns in Iraq and Syria he said had been wrested from IS control in recent weeks.

Flanked by top military commanders, Obama also warned of the Islamic State's efforts to recruit and inspire vulnerable people in the United States, and called on the American Muslim community to "step up in terms of pushing back as hard as they can." He said that while the U.S. is now better prepared to thwart large-scale terrorist attacks like 9/11, the threat from individual "lone wolves" or small terrorist cells has increased.

"We're going to have to pick up our game to prevent these attacks," Obama said.

The Pentagon visit followed a wave of weekend airstrikes by the U.S.-led coalition in eastern Syria, including the de facto IS capital of Raqqa, in one of the most sustained aerial operations carried out in Syria to date. Obama pointed to those and other airstrikes as proof of an intensified U.S. effort to undermine the militant group's base of operations and cut off their sources of funding.

Obama's afternoon visit to the Pentagon offered a public display of presidential support for the military one day before Defense Secretary Ash Carter and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Martin Dempsey were expected to be grilled on Capitol Hill. Senate Armed Services Chairman John McCain has sharply criticized Obama for not doing more militarily to defeat IS, and said Monday that the U.S. is losing the battle as the extremist group continues to gain territory in Iraq and Syria.

"President Obama's comments today reveal the disturbing degree of self-delusion that characterizes the administration's campaign against ISIL," McCain said, using another acronym for the group.

Although the president said there were "no current plans" to send more U.S. troops to Iraq, he did not rule out that possibility in the future. Obama has vowed to keep American service members out of direct combat, but has sent more than 3,000 U.S. troops to advise and assist the beleaguered Iraqi military — including the deployment of 450 additional service members announced last month.

Efforts to train local forces in Iraq and Syria, however, have been slow to take shape. Last month, Obama acknowledged that the U.S. lacks a "complete strategy" for training Iraqi troops to carry out ground missions. And in Syria, fewer than 100 rebels are being trained by the U.S., far fewer than the goal of producing 5,400 fighters a year.

At the Pentagon, Obama also walked a fine line on whether he'll sign a massive defense policy bill favored by Republicans. The White House has threatened to veto the bill, arguing that it uses gimmickry to increase defense spending without increasing domestic spending by an equal amount, as Obama has insisted. Some Republicans have questioned, however, whether Obama would really veto the bill should it come to his desk.

"Our men and women are going to get paid," Obama said, noting that U.S. service members haven't missed a paycheck since he took office. Yet he also insisted he wouldn't accept a bill that shortchanges long-term investments in technology, education and the economy. "We're not going to eat our seed corn by devoting too much money on things we don't need now and robbing ourselves of the capacity to make sure that we're prepared for future threats."


-- (c) Associated Press 2015-07-07

[ezzra]

If he wasn't the great procrastinator, fence sitting, Arab's appeasing president, this problem would

have been a lot more manageable and less costly, his wishy washy, shooting the breeze attitude

brought the world to what it is today, radicalizes and fanatic Muslims picking up guns and going

on a rampage... dose he care at all? not really, all he cares about is to preserve his word that the

US will not start a new war on his watch.... Apres moi le deluge ( after me, the deluge )

says the French....

[simple1]

If he wasn't the great procrastinator, fence sitting, Arab's appeasing president, this problem would have been a lot more manageable and less costly, his wishy washy, shooting the breeze attitude brought the world to what it is today, radicalizes and fanatic Muslims picking up guns and going on a rampage... dose he care at all? not really, all he cares about is to preserve his word that the US will not start a new war on his watch.... Apres moi le deluge ( after me, the deluge ) says the French....

Have a read of the content at the URL below that seems overall to be a fair summary of the complexity of the current situation. Then, given your inferred competency, exactly what would you do?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joseph-v-micallef/the-islamic-state-one-yea_b_7684358.html

[PepperMe]

From what I can see they are gaining ground fast.

For a year it is astounding that they have taken huge swathes of not only the middle east but also right across N Africa.

Obama talks out of his ring piece

[rethaier]

Buffalo manure.

[Chicog]

As soon as McCain opens his mouth I'm waiting for him either to put his foot in it or completely contradict something he said earlier.

The doddery old fool should retire.

[chuckd]

Jerking the thread back on topic, this is the latest brilliance emanating from the Commander in Chief.

It's hard to dream this stuff up.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Opinion

How Can ISIS Ever Withstand Obama’s ‘Better Ideas’?

Scott Greer

Associate Editor

1:39 AM 07/08/2015

President Obama thinks he has found the secret weapon for defeating ISIS: “better ideas.”

In the president’s Monday speech at the Pentagon, the president claimed that these superior ideas are more important in winning the fight against the Islamic State than weapons.

Obama promised that “a more attractive and more compelling vision” would topple the aspiring caliphate’s “twisted thinking” and bring peace to the region.

This statement was naturally greeted with mockery from the right. The obvious argument against the president’s line of reasoning is how the Allies vanquished the Axis in World War II — with bombs and guns, not well-meaning platitudes.

Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2015/07/08/how-can-isis-ever-withstand-obamas-better-ideas/#ixzz3fK4Agg3I

Edited July 8, 2015 by chuckd

[simple1]

Jerking the thread back on topic, this is the latest brilliance emanating from the Commander in Chief.

It's hard to dream this stuff up.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Opinion

How Can ISIS Ever Withstand Obama’s ‘Better Ideas’?

Scott Greer

Associate Editor

1:39 AM 07/08/2015

President Obama thinks he has found the secret weapon for defeating ISIS: “better ideas.”

In the president’s Monday speech at the Pentagon, the president claimed that these superior ideas are more important in winning the fight against the Islamic State than weapons.

Obama promised that “a more attractive and more compelling vision” would topple the aspiring caliphate’s “twisted thinking” and bring peace to the region.

This statement was naturally greeted with mockery from the right. The obvious argument against the president’s line of reasoning is how the Allies vanquished the Axis in World War II — with bombs and guns, not well-meaning platitudes.

Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2015/07/08/how-can-isis-ever-withstand-obamas-better-ideas/#ixzz3fK4Agg3I

IMO Obama is quoted out of context. What he is saying the threat posed by Islamist ideology will not be eliminated by military means alone; requires a multi faceted approach, including counter propaganda efforts.

[Loptr]

If the US wants to defeat ISIS, they must first stop sending them arms and aid... Seems logical to me, but what do I know...

http://www.globalresearch.ca/u-s-helicopter-delivering-weapons-to-the-islamic-state-isis-shot-down-by-iraqi-popular-forces/5434230

http://21stcenturywire.com/2015/02/18/in-plain-sight-coalition-forces-routinely-air-drop-military-supplies-to-isis-fighters-in-syria/

The truth of the matter is that ISIS is Al Qaeda 2.0, specifically created to take out Assad in Syria... Any other rhetoric on the topic is lip service...

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-05-23/secret-pentagon-report-reveals-us-created-isis-tool-overthrow-syrias-president-assad

[samuibeachcomber]

Buffalo manure.

He came to power believing his legacy was to stop America's involvement in overseas conflict after the disaster that was bubya.

So he is in denial re ISIS and Iran,and will leave the WH with his legacy intact and a world spiralling into destruction.ISIS are everywhere,north africa down to nigeria,middle east of course,next step the "stans' on russia'a doorstep.They are already in europe as a 5th column.

germany.france the uk and scandinavia are being overrun by immigrants,add italy,spain, and greece,turkey too.It's an avalanche that cannot be stopped without excessive force.

[ABCer]

Not only Obama is quoted out of context, not only he is deliberately misunderstood but he himself doesn't go far enough in his logical suggestions.

He is absolutely right saying that militarily ISIS can not be defeated. He is also lying by claiming they are losing ground.

The Western World is doing everything wrong when it comes to Islam. It is helping Islam's advance and bringing forward our own downfall.

The millions of victims (dead) on both sides are totally unnecessary.

We have evolved. We have developed. We have become Liberal, Multicultural, Tolerant. We have discovered Human Rights, Emancipation, Progress for groups and individuals.

But not them! Not Islam! Not the Muslims!

And instead of leaving them alone in their VII Century culture, beliefs, customs, instead of Isolating us from them and them from us -

We embraced them, We let them to spread from some 27-28 countries to about 57-59 countries on two continents! And worst of all - We let them into our countries!

It is not Muslims' fault - they are what they are... It is our, Western World's fault!

Welcome to the Fall of the Western Civilization! What Obama said or did, who will succeed Obama next year, will Greece stay in EU - all these issues are immaterial.