Director of the CIA John Brennan does not believe that ISIS is “contained,” like President Obama has claimed in the past.
In fact, Brennan believes the radical Islamic group will only intensify its attacks around the world.
CIA Director John Brennan, in a chilling warning on the Islamic State’s growing influence, told lawmakers Thursday that U.S.-led efforts to strike at the terror group have not hampered its “terrorism capability and global reach” – a message that stands in stark contrast to President Obama’s more upbeat assessment earlier this week. Brennan, testifying in a rare open hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee, said ISIS likely will “intensify” terror attacks around the world even as its core fighters come under pressure in Iraq and Syria, including by deploying operatives for further attacks on the West.
“The group is probably exploring a variety of means for infiltrating operatives into the West, including in refugee flows, smuggling routes, and legitimate methods of travel,” Brennan said.
… He said ISIS is gradually cultivating its various brancSays hes into an interconnected network. The branch in Libya is likely the most advanced and most dangerous, he said, warning Libya could become another base to carry out attacks in Europe and other locations. He said ISIS is trying to increase its influence elsewhere in Africa as well. Brennan also estimated the total ISIS force size in Iraq and Syria has slightly reduced since early 2016 — but the affiliates have thousands of adherents. He estimated between 5,000 and 8,000 ISIS supporters are in Libya, about 7,000 are in Nigeria, and hundreds more are in Yemen and Afghanistan.
President Obama’s perspective on the fight to defeat ISIS is clearly much different than the Director of the CIA.
Which one do you believe? Let us know in the comments below!
