U.S. Officials and Experts at Odds on Threat Posed by ISIS

ny times ^ | 8-23-2014 | MARK MAZZETTI and HELENE COOPER

[Citizen Zed]

But some American officials and terrorism experts said that the ominous words overstated the group’s ability to attack the United States and its interests abroad, and that ISIS could be undone by its own brutality and nihilism.

“They have a lot of attributes that should scare us: money, people, weapons and a huge swath of territory,” said Andrew Liepman, a senior fellow at the RAND Corporation and former deputy head of the National Counterterrorism Center. “But when we’re surprised by a group, as we have been in this case, we tend to overreact."

[Citizen Zed]

Kind of like when they said Obamacare would implode itself.

[Vigilanteman]

The only debate should be whether anything which originates from BO's administration is:

1. Pure and unadulterated bullsh*t . . . or . . .
   
2. Propaganda disguised with a kernel of truth to move the country in a direction which will harm us further.

[tet68]

“But when we’re surprised by a group, as we have been in this case, we tend to overreact.”

Some of US weren’t surprised.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

They hate the West.
Why are they here ?

[Rapscallion]

“They have a lot of attributes that should scare us: money, people, weapons and a huge swath of territory,”

Please do not overlook: organization, mission, commitment, training, and a strategic plan.

[healy61]

Foley knows the answer to that, but he isn’t talking.

[snappahead]

How in the hell could we possibly be overreacting when it comes to DESTROYING TERRORISTS??

[Gen.Blather]

ISIS could use ten people to bring America into panic mode. Just have them machine gun school busses while on rural routes. The possibility of getting caught would be near zero. The school bus system would collapse in one day. The country would be in political chaos. Now, are the foolish enough to do that? (I’d say yes.)

The school bus system is just one undefended and un-defendable target. America is one vast soft target. Defended targets are the exception.

[Texas Fossil]

It will implode the entire medical system if it is not undone.

You have simply not given it enough time.

Wait and watch it happen.

[onedoug]

Sounds like an excuse to save soebarkah’s dream.

[Citizen Zed]

"It will implode the entire medical system if it is not undone."

I agree. I just wish the GOP would do anything to stop it. I suppose the Boehner lawsuit is the only possibility until Obama is out of office. But who is talking about the lawsuit anymore?

[lucky american]

Has anyone ever thought about the Muslims that own all of our hotels and gas stations?
A place to house troops and total control of gasoline which most vehicles need to operate.
These people have goals and patience.They have been waging war for thousands of years so a few years of acquiring assets and control of commodities is nothing to them.
ISIL may be the beginning of a movement to start in the Middle East and finish in the United States.
Thoughts?

[Chewbarkah]

My favorite part of this: “experts” who admit being completely surprised by the rise of ISIS two months ago pretend to know what ISIS might do tomorrow. No sale.