Last Thursday, George Stephanopolous of ABC News interviewed President Obama. The next day of course ISIS struck Paris and Stephanopolous asked Obama about ISIS. Let's have a look at some of the questions and answers:
STEPHANOPOULOS: Let's talk about ISIS to begin with. Did they bring down that Russian plane?
OBAMA: Well, we don't know that yet. It is a possibility.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Just a possibility?
OBAMA: Well, we don't know. I think we're still looking at all the details...I think it's premature but, it is a possibility...
...
STEPHANOPOULOS: But if ISIS with affiliates in so many countries right now, even Afghanistan, if they decided now to go to international terror, that's a game changer, isn't it?
OBAMA: ...I think that one of the challenges of these international terroristorganizations is that they don't have to have a huge amount of personnel...What makes ISIL the challenge that it is right now is primarily the fact that they're occupying territory in two countries that aren't governed effectively in those spaces...What makes ISIL the challenge that it is right now is primarily the fact that they're occupying territory in two countries that aren't governed effectively in those spaces.
...
STEPHANOPOLOUS:...But ISIS is gaining strength aren't they?
OBAMA: Well, no I don't think they're gaining strength. What is true is that from the start our goal has been first to contain them, and we have contained them...What we have not yet been able to do is to completely decapitate their command and control structures. We've made some progress in trying to reduce the flow of foreign fighters. But one of the things that I'll be talking about when I see President Erdogan in Turkey and discuss this with the G20 is that we've still got to do more work in controlling the border so that the influx of foreign fighters is much more reduced.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Let's talk about ISIS to begin with. Did they bring down that Russian plane?
OBAMA: Well, we don't know that yet. It is a possibility.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Just a possibility?
OBAMA: Well, we don't know. I think we're still looking at all the details...I think it's premature but, it is a possibility...
...
STEPHANOPOULOS: But if ISIS with affiliates in so many countries right now, even Afghanistan, if they decided now to go to international terror, that's a game changer, isn't it?
OBAMA: ...I think that one of the challenges of these international terroristorganizations is that they don't have to have a huge amount of personnel...What makes ISIL the challenge that it is right now is primarily the fact that they're occupying territory in two countries that aren't governed effectively in those spaces...What makes ISIL the challenge that it is right now is primarily the fact that they're occupying territory in two countries that aren't governed effectively in those spaces.
...
STEPHANOPOLOUS:...But ISIS is gaining strength aren't they?
OBAMA: Well, no I don't think they're gaining strength. What is true is that from the start our goal has been first to contain them, and we have contained them...What we have not yet been able to do is to completely decapitate their command and control structures. We've made some progress in trying to reduce the flow of foreign fighters. But one of the things that I'll be talking about when I see President Erdogan in Turkey and discuss this with the G20 is that we've still got to do more work in controlling the border so that the influx of foreign fighters is much more reduced.
...
I thought even Obama had been more sure that the Kogalymavia flight had been an ISIS operation. I do remember his use of the word "possibility" but not naked as here, modified--clothed--with "distinct" or some such. A "possibility," as he as a lawyer knows, is not an answer. Stephanopolous asked Obama if it were not more accurate to say "probability," as someone had told told Stephanopolous, and Obama stuck with naked possibility.
I point that out because what is true is that Obama continues here, both on Kogalymavia and on ISIS' "containment," as he has in the past when he referred to ISIS as like a "Jay-Vee team," weirdly to minimize ISIS, and to be confident, smug, of his efforts to combat them. The president clearly had no idea that ISIS was, the next day, to attack France. He does not have a good grasp on ISIS, never has!, and remains convinced that he does! Almost always I have thought Obama to be realistic, that he was not one to stare reality in the face and deny it, that he admitted when he was wrong and adjusted course, but, weirdly, he had not done that with ISIS.
