By Bill O'Reilly
There is deep anger among some working in the CIA, DIA and other American intelligence agencies. That's because President Obama told "60 Minutes" it was an intel failure, not his fault, that ISIS grew into a monster.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEVE KROFT, HOST, "60 MINUTES": How did they end up where they are in control of so much territory? Was that a complete surprise to you?
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Well, I think our head of the intelligence community Jim Clapper's acknowledged that I think they underestimated what had been taking place in Syria.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'REILLY: So at this point President Obama has not taken any responsibility for the botched intelligence on ISIS. And that has led to some evaluations for some.
November 13th, 2013, the deputy assistant secretaries of state for Iraq and Iran said this in front of the House committee.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRETT MCGURK, DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE: ISIL was led by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi a specially designated global terrorist under U.S. law that was now based in Syria. Earlier this year Baghdadi announced a campaign of terror to include attacks against Iraqi Security Services, government targets and civilians.
There's no question that ISIL is a group that is growing roots in Syria and in Iraq.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'REILLY: Ok. So that means the President had to know that the State Department at least believed ISIS was a major threat.
Number two, February 11th, 2014, this year. The director of the Defense Intelligence Agency told Senator Joe Manchin that ISIS was a major problem.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
SEN. JOE MANCHIN (D), WEST VIRGINIA: How imminent a threat is the resurgence of al Qaeda affiliates pose for the regional stability there?
LT. GEN. MICHAEL FLYNN, FORMER DIA DIRECTOR: I think it's a increasingly concern that we're going to have to pay very close attention to, not only inside of Iraq but for the whole region as you're highlighting.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
O'REILLY: So again, President Obama had to know. A terror threat was brewing. Yet the President did nothing. "Talking Points" believes Mr. President does not want to engage in war on terror in general. Yes, he'll order drone strikes and some Special Forces activity but he does not want the USA to launch major offenses against terror groups.
Therefore, the President looks away hoping that a situation like ISIS and Syria will go away. And now, President Obama is paying a price for his passive approach to the jihad as the beheadings of two Americans by the ISIS savages has awakened the public in America.
The anti-terrorist situation overall is bleak. For decades Pakistan has undermined Afghanistan and America by harboring the Taliban. We all know that. President Obama even knows it. For decades Iran has funded Hezbollah and trained a variety of Shia terrorists on Iranian soil. President Obama -- well aware. The al Qaeda leader al-Zawahiri is still at large. Where is he? Some country is harboring him, but again the pro- terrorist nations around the world don't fear the United States.
I mean what did we do to Pakistan when they harbored bin Laden all those years? Nothing. And when the Pakistanis imprisoned the man who helped to bring bin Laden down Dr. Shakil Afridi, President Obama again did nothing. The doctor still languishes in prison to this day. So Mr. Obama's resume on terrorism is about as weak as you can get, or am I wrong?
And that's "The Memo".
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