Feinstein: ISIS ‘not contained’
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) said Monday that the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) isn’t contained to its territory in the Middle East, presenting a sharp contrast with President Obama’s remarks on his strategy to combat the group.
“I have never been more concerned,” Feinstein said during an appearance on MSNBC’s “Andrea Mitchell Reports,” calling for additional U.S. troops on the ground to combat the militants.
{mosads}“I read the intelligence faithfully. ISIL is not contained, ISIL is expanding,” said Feinstein, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, using an alternate acronym for ISIS.
“They just put out a video saying it is their intent to attack this country,” she added, referring to ISIS’s warning it would target the U.S. and other countries carrying out airstrikes in Syria.
Obama maintained during remarks at the G-20 summit earlier Monday in Turkey that the U.S. remained committed to defeating ISIS, but said it would be a “mistake” to use troops on the ground.
The president’s vow that ISIS had been geographically “contained” was broadcast hours before last Friday’s terrorist attack in Paris that left 129 people dead and hundreds more injured.
Obama insisted Monday “there has been progress” against ISIS, while Feinstein cast doubt that airstrikes alone “can really make a difference” in the campaign to defeat the group in Iraq and Syria.
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