Posted on 09/02/2014 7:46:46 AM PDT by Hojczyk
President Obama was given detailed and specific intelligence about the rise of the Islamic State as part of his daily briefing for at least a year before the group seized large swaths of territory over the summer, a former Pentagon official told Fox News.
The official -- who asked not to be identified because the President's Daily Brief is considered the most authoritative, classified intelligence community product analyzing sensitive international events for the president -- said the data was strong and "granular" in detail.
The source said a policymaker "could not come away with any other impression: This is getting bad."
Obama, unlike his predecessors who traditionally had the document briefed to them, is known to personally read the daily brief. The former Pentagon official, who has knowledge of the process, said Obama generally was not known to come back to the intelligence community with further requests for information based on the daily report.
The claims come as the Obama administration continues to launch airstrikes against Islamic State targets in northern Iraq and weighs whether to expand that campaign, particularly into Syria.
The president's team has publicly suggested that the group only recently gained in strength, accounting for why Obama earlier this year dismissed such extremists as akin to a "jayvee" team.
But after suggestions that the administration may have been blindsided by the rise of ISIS, and that poor intelligence was to blame, the former Pentagon official said some of the intelligence was so good in the region, that when the president drew a red line on chemical weapons use in Syria in 2012, the information was "exquisite."
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
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MR. Presidnt , PutiN An’’ ISil gotS DISREspEcted chuuuuu An’ PUnkED yo’ A$$. Chuu DOn’t GOts UH CluEE HW PeRilous Da ThrEats IZ!! Chu Needd TA BcK uhpp DAA RhetoRIc WIf AcsHUn!!
Translation:
Mr. President , Putin and ISIL have disrespected you and punked your ass. You don’t have a clue how perilous the threats are! You need to back up the rhetoric with action!
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