Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA) joined Senator Dianne Feinstein in condemning President Barack Obama’s strategy in handling the Islamic State–becoming one of the most recent California Democrat elected officials to do so.
On Friday, November 13, just hours before the massive terrorist attacks on Paris, France, President Obama had told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos he did not think ISIS was gaining strength and that “we have contained them.”
Speier told MSNBC this week:
There’s no question that we underestimated ISIL. It is a very complex environment in which they are operating. The greatest success has been by the Kurds. And one thing we should have learned both in Iraq and Afghanistan, if the people that live there are not engaged in the battle, if the countries surrounding the areas in which the battles are taking place are not engaged, then us coming in and ‘defeating them’ is not going to be a successful strategy. So a coalition of forces not just from Europe but the–surrounding Middle East countries have to be part of the solution here.
Speier’s comments come just ten days after Senate Intelligence Committee ranking Democrat Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) also said on MSNBC:
I have never been more concerned. I read the intelligence faithfully. ISIS is not contained. ISIS is expanding. They just put out a video saying it is their intent to attack this country.
Feinstein later called out Obama’s strategy again. On CBS News’ Face the Nation, Feinstein called Obama’s strategy on ISIS not, “sufficient to the job.” She went on to say: “What I’m saying this has gone on too long now. And it has not gotten better. It’s gotten worse.”
Follow Michelle Moons on Twitter @MichelleDiana
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.