Director Of U.S. National Intelligence Admits That He Originally Dismissed The Islamic State: So Why Does He Still Have His Job?

Director of National Intelligence James Clapper testifies before a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on ''Current and Projected National Security Threats to the United States'' on Capitol Hill in Washington March 12, 2013. Credit: Reuters/Kevin Lamarque/Files

Our Intelligence Director Dismissed ISIS: Why Does He Still Have a Job? -- Andrew L. Peek, The Fiscal Times

It is baffling how James Clapper still has a job. In an interview with The Washington Post’s David Ignatius on Wednesday, the Director of National Intelligence admitted that he had completely underestimated ISIS. He didn't anticipate how fast the Iraqi Army would fall apart, nor the “will to fight” among Islamic State troops. “I didn’t,” he somewhat lamely added, “see that.”

By now, most Americans realize ISIS caught the intelligence community by surprise. Clapper and his spies also thought that the Russians wouldn’t openly invade Ukraine, which maybe they actually got right, depending on how “openly” we would say the Russians invaded.

My Comment: White House National Security Adviser Susan Rice was asked (somewhat) the same question on Wednesday's Today show .... her answer was that their focus was on crippling Al Qaeda .... not on other terror or militant groups.

Update: How “Khorasan” Went From Nowhere To The Biggest Threat To The U.S. -- BuzzFeed