Press Sec. Josh Earnest: The President Has a Comprehensive Strategy To Deal With ISIL

Debra Heine

In response to Obama’s Confusing, Expanding, Nonexistent ISIS Strategy:

Confusing is right. 

Obama today:  We don’t have a strategy yet.”

White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest at yesterday’s press briefing: “…that is a key component of the comprehensive strategy that the President is going to put in place, and has put in place, to deal with this situation.”

Full quote:

The President and his team are closely watching the situation in Iraq and monitoring the ongoing military activities — U.S. military activities against ISIL in Iraq to protect American citizens and interests in that country.

We’re also carefully watching the efforts of Iraq’s political leaders to form an inclusive government.  It’s important for the Iraqi people and for Iraq’s political leaders to unite that country to face down the threat that’s posed by ISIL.  We have said all along that that is a key component of the comprehensive strategy that the President is going to put in place, and has put in place, to deal with this situation.

Later during the press briefing, he said, “so this element of outreach to countries around the globe to engage them in this effort is part and parcel of the comprehensive strategy that this President has laid out for — had laid out initially in his West Point speech, but it was discussed on several occasions since then.”

Full quote:

What’s needed is a more comprehensive solution, and that comprehensive solution certainly includes the use of American military force, but what’s also required is the engagement of, first and foremost, an inclusive Iraqi government that can rally the country and unite the country in the face of this existential threat that they face.  That also will have the effect of strengthening their security forces, knowing — members of their security force can know that they’re fighting on behalf of and in support of and in defense of a united country.  That will also improve coordination between the Kurdish security forces and Iraqi security force. 

There’s also an important role for regional governments to play and then for governments around the world to play, in no small part because of the threat that’s posed by foreign fighters.

So this element of outreach to countries around the globe to engage them in this effort is part and parcel of the comprehensive strategy that this President has laid out for — had laid out initially in his West Point speech, but it was discussed on several occasions since then.

Within an hour of President No-Strategy leaving the podium, today, Earnest was on damage control duty.

Of course the president has a strategy for I-S-I-L –  a comprehensive one, as it turns out.

If the strategy does not include expanding the air strike campaign from northern Iraq into Syria to fight the ISIS menace, it’s not all that comprehensive, at all.

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