Obama Introduces His Own Intel Community to the Underside of a Bus

09.29.2014 | News | Matt Fox |

If you thought the complete miscalculation of the threat posed by ISIS to America was something that might humble President Obama even slightly, you’d be wrong. Yes, it was Obama who in January of this year referred to the terrorist group as “Jayvee.” Yes, it was Obama who decided to go golfing after ISIS beheaded its first American journalist on camera for the entire world to see. Yes, it was Obama who refused to arm the Syrian rebels for over a year but now has suddenly decided that it’s the only possible ground strategy in the region.

So, whose fault is it?

Not Obama’s.

That is, if you ask him anyway. The president sat down for an interview with CBS’s Steve Kroft on 60 Minutes, where he was asked directly whether he underestimated ISIS. Lo and behold, he blamed his Director of National Intelligence, James Clapper.

“I think our head of the intelligence community, Jim Clapper, has acknowledged that I think they underestimated what had been taking place in Syria,” he said, before quickly pivoting to his typical gobbledygook.

You heard that right; Barack Obama actually claimed that “THEY” underestimated the situation. Not him, but “they.” Not like he was constantly warned by just about everyone in that intel community about what would happen for at least two years. Oh wait.

How pompous can one get? Well, pretty pompous when one needs desperately to save face in a situation that resulted in beheaded American journalists. This may have been one of the very rare interviews in which the president didn’t repeatedly use the words “me” or “I.” Miraculously, he’s no credit-hog when it comes to mistakes. Shocker.

Kroft later pressed Obama on that remark. “[Clapper] didn’t just say that we underestimated ISIL; he said we overestimated the ability and the will of our allies, the Iraqi army, to fight.”

The president’s lengthy response? “That’s true. That’s absolutely true.” What’s the matter, Barry, did you run out of spin?

This particular interview was among the more shameful ones the president has conducted over the years. Part of presidential leadership is truly understanding that “the buck stops here.” But in this administration, the buck only stops where Obama’s scapegoat of the moment resides. Was it James Clapper’s decision to withdraw from Iraq? Even the president’s own former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta didn’t want to remove all of our forces. Obama might be able to get away with laying blame on Clapper and other members of the intelligence community when it comes to questions of underestimation and miscalculation. But on the larger question of Barack’s foreign policy, he’s not fooling anyone.

The only way we would have slowed the growth of ISIS would have been if we were actually still there to have seen it. Instead, Obama chose an “out of sight, out of mind” policy for America’s future relationship with Iraq…and it came back to bite him in the ass in mere months.

Incidentally, this president now blames Nouri al-Maliki and none other than George W. Bush himself for America’s withdrawal. Remember this?

“Keep in mind, that wasn’t a decision made by me. That was a decision made by the Iraqi government.”

Is anything EVER this man’s fault? Sheesh. If Rob Ford and Anthony Weiner can admit mistakes, why can’t Barry?

Matt Fox

Senior Editor

Fox has history in broadcasting that spans two decades. From his early days as an FM host and club DJ in the mid-90′s to his later experiences in political talk radio, he has always had a knack for combining topical news with his love for popular culture. Those experiences culminated in his position as executive producer for several radio shows featured in the TALKERS Heavy 100. Originally from New York, Fox has made the great pilgrimage down to sunny south Florida.

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