I heard about this in the morning on Fox News, but was waiting for a link
(Fox News) A former Pentagon official confirms to Fox News that detailed and specific intelligence about the rise of ISIS was included in the PDB, or the President’s Daily Brief, for at least a year before the group took large swaths of territory beginning in June.
The official, who asked not to be identified because the PDB is considered the most authoritative, classified intelligence community product providing the President with analysis of sensitive international events, said the data was strong, and “granular†in detail, adding a policy maker “…could not come away with any other impression: This is getting bad.â€
The official who has close knowledge of the process said the President, who reads the PDB unlike his predecessors who traditionally had the document briefed to them, was not known to come back to the intelligence community with further questions or “taskings.†Asked to describe the frequency, the former Pentagon official said “not generally.â€
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 it was described as “exquisite†when the President drew a red line on chemical weapons use in Syria in 2012.
Liberals assaulted President Bush over that August PDB for years, and will still bring it up, despite being informational and without actionable intelligence. According to this report, the briefings contained more than enough information to actually making plans and take action. I would like to see more confirmation before making a judgement, but, hey, let’s face it, Obama has never really wanted to make the Hard Decisions, nor has he truly focussed on Doing The Job.
I’d recommend reading Ed Morrissey’s post on the subject. There’s only so much I will two thumb on my Droid.
This also adds to the case that Obama should simply resign
Just resign already. Go. Be gone. Vamoose. Get out of our lives. More important: Stop endangering all of us with your self-indulgent vacations and self-absorbed dithering, along with unconstitutional domestic power plays while the whole world burns.
Barack Obama already is derelict in his duties as commander in chief. He ought to abdicate and just step off his self-made throne.
[…] related news, President Obama had been briefed for a year on the growing threat of ISIS, with actionable intelligence, yet he did […]
Of course, Mr. Bush’s ignoring the PDB let to the slaughter of 3000 Americans and was a national enormity. ISIL hasn’t done anything to the US other than put the media and Republicans into a frenzy. Obama has replaced Maliki, strengthened the Kurds and bombs ISIL daily in Iraq.
What should Mr. Obama have done when he found that ISIL was a bunch of bad guys?
And resign? lol. For what? Not getting thousands of Americans killed? Not invading other countries? Taking fewer vacations than other Presidents? Being a Democrat? Being a Kenyan? Being a closet Muslim? Because drooling conservatives hate him?
Terrorists flew planes into the World Trade Center in 2001 well before Obama was President. How many Americans have terrorists killed since 2009?
If you want Obama out, grow a pair and call for his impeachment. Otherwise, you’ll need to keep up your efforts of suppressing likely Democratic voters for 2016.
Except for the fact that Bush did not ignore the PDB. Even the 9/11 Commission came to that conclusion.
So once again we have liberals caught in a lie in order to try and shame Bush and protect Obama.
Well, he could have listened to the Pentagon which has a plan. That would be one option.
Or just as good, he could have started formulating a strategy for dealing with ISIS. He keeps trying to act as this is something new on his radar when in fact, he has been briefed on ISIS for a year.
So when he says “we haven’t developed a strategy,” that shows his incompetence and inability to lead.
Mr. Bush’s negligence cost 3000 American lives on 9/11, and tens of thousands killed and maimed when he invaded the wrong country. Mr. Obama’s negligence cost us nothing.
Obama said they hadn’t formulated a plan for ISIL in Syria.
What has waiting cost us?
The far right’s hatred of Obama is not proportional to his policies. I know why david hates him. What about the rest of you?
Jeff,
Are you sure you don’t have Clinton and Bush mixed up? I am not a fan of Bush and consider his liberal attitudes detrimental to the US (witness, TSA, Homeland Insecurity, No child can get ahead, and many others). But, it is historical fact that Clinton’s actions directly led to 9/11. Believe me, I would pin it on Bush if I could. Now, just exactly why do I hate Obama? That was such a cute statement for a child. I am sure you are referring to his race. But, it that is so, why do I support Carson and other blacks that have intelligence? Maybe I don’t like Obama as he is a communist and represents the puke that was the SDS and therefore the people that threw trash on me and my uniform during Vietnam. Why don’t you try growing up and get a degree?
Of course, you are simply lying here, but that is okay.
We expect that from you.
Yeah,…. he’s been too busy campaigning to actually deal with threats.
A loss of lives. A loss of gains in the region. A loss of leadership in the world.
I can go on, but you really aren’t looking for an answer.
J-“How many Americans killed since 2009?” I don’t know. How many killed since 2001, when Bush helped clean up Clinton’s mess? “Keep up your efforts at suppressing likely Democratic voters for 2016.” Really? Not one shred of evidence for that, as usual. “What should Obama have done when he found out ISIL was a bunch of bad guys?” Well, to begin with, what he’s started to do now. “Tens of thousands killed when he invaded the wrong country..” Yes, the world would be a much better place with Saddam still here. But anyway, is that the same country that many Dems thought the same way about? “If Saddam rejects peace and we have to use force, our purpose is clear. We want to seriously diminish the threat posed by Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction program.” President Clinton, Feb. 17, 1998.
With conservatives, responsibility always skips an administration, lol.
Reagan, Bush and Bush did all that was good and right. Clinton and Obama have been feeding off Republican success, and are the cause of any Republican problems.
Clinton is responsible for 9/11. Obama is responsible for the Great Recession (or Barney Frank is, or Clinton is). BTW, who appointed Alan Greenspan?
You don’t like Obama because he’s not from your tribe.
Clinton may have talked smack about Saddam but he didn’t make the mistake of invading Iraq. Bush did. Responsibility.
I knew that mentioning that Aug PDB would send at least 1 liberal into apoplexy and down the same old Bayshore crazy road. Of course, they never say what Bush should have done with the unactionable intelligence briefing.
But they will defend Obama like Manson’s followers defended him.
“Clinton?” I’ll show you quotes from a lot more Dems than Clinton. But now I see, thanks to J, that the good guy is the one who “talks smack”, and the bad guy is the one who follows through on what all the other ones were talking about. You can’t make this stuff up, folks.
Makes me wish that we could do a vote of “no confidence” in this administration and get a fresh start. The next two years are going to be pretty rough.
j,
Talking smack is better than acting stupid. Again, Clinton did not invade Iraq, Mr. Bush did. Do you really think that Clinton’s comments about Saddam harmed the US more than Bush’s invasion and occupation of Iraq?
Do you think we should have invaded Iraq during Clinton’s administration? If so, on what grounds?
Conservatives: Simple Solutions to Complex Problems for Decades
Jeffery,
Would you allow a manager or supervisor in your company to know of a new rule or law for a year, attend meetings on it, receive communications on it, and have done nothing to address the law or regulation?
No strategy, no plan, not nothing.
Would you be happy with that manager?
No one in the real world would be and yet you seem to be supporting Obama for doing just that.
The man cannot lead. It is just not in him. He can campaign and make promises, but he has no ability to lead.
If this was Bush, or any other Republican, acting in this manner, Jeff and other liberals would be apoplectic, attacking him/her non-stop. And Republicans would be, as well. But, since it is Obama, Jeff and the other Obamazombies will defend him to the death.
I would reward any manager who didn’t rush in and make a situation worse for no good reason. If the rule or law you’ve contrived isn’t relevant to operations what does it matter?
Again, what proximal threat is ISIL to the US? Why are the media and right-wing so frightened by 15,000 religious fundamentalists in Syria and Iraq?
I didn’t criticize President Bush UNTIL he invaded Iraq for no good reason. I liked Mr. Bush except for his awful decision on Iraq and his awful ideas on economics.
Do you really think invading Iraq showed good leadership??
How about Mr. Bush’s ignoring Russia invading Georgia?? Was that leadership?
If you have specific criticisms, make them. Calling someone a bad leader is just silly.
BTW, I heard the exact same “leadership” criticism from my far-right business partner this morning. Whom do you both listen too? Rush? The odious jimhoft? Glenn? Sean?
Teach,
Acting in what manner?!? Not rushing in militarily to a situation with no military solutions?
Conservatives are too emotional. You’re afraid. I get it. Having other people kill the bad guys for you will make you less afraid (and stoke your manhood, such as it is).
ISIL exists because of what the US did in Iraq starting in 2003. ISIL exists because of what the US did in Iraq starting in 2003. A Shia partisan, al-Maliki, was installed in 2006 and immediately started purging Sunni participation from Iraq governance, creating even more sectarian hatred. Have you heard of unintended consequences? You felt manly supporting brave kids invading and dying in Iraq in your stead. Sticking your thumb (figuratively) in the eye of those Muslims. That they were the wrong Muslims still doesn’t seem to bother you. And now you want to do it again. Because you’re afraid.
I would reward any manager who didn’t rush in and make a situation worse for no good reason.
You consider knowing about an applicable law or regulation for a year and not even formulating a strategy “rushing in?”
This is a case where your argument defies logic and common sense. Not that common sense is a strong point of yours, but if you want to say that a company that has known about something heading their way for a year and done nothing to plan for it “rewards” employees for such gross negligence, you are living in a fantasy land.
What do you think this conversation is about Jeffery? People are making specific criticisms and your response is “Bush did this!”
I have said Obama is not a leader for years. It just isn’t in him. If other people are coming around to that idea, good for them for recognizing the truth and shame on you for shutting your eyes to that truth.
Jeff,
ISIS does not represent any more of a threat to us than did the NAZI’s.
Nice try dave. Germany had 2.5 million trained soldiers, thousands of tanks, a technologically advanced nation, a Navy and an Air Force. They could build things. The 15,000 ISIL (many former Iraqi military that we disbanded) steal their equipment. We can wipe them out in two days. Then what? 30,000 more will take their place.
The US is bombing them (that’s why ISIL says they killed the two Americans), arming the Kurdish Peshmerga and booted al-Maliki out. ISIL is goading us into a bigger war to burnish their credentials, to recruit new “soldiers” and to raise money. Osama bin laden used the same strategy.
Conservative hatred of Obama is harming the US.