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Amanpour: Islamic State Is 'Not Contained' and No One Thinks Obama's Strategy is Working

November 16, 2015

CNN's Christiane Amanpour eviscerated President Obama Monday over his claims to have the Islamic State contained and that his strategy overall to combat the organization is working, saying both were false.

Amanpour said that the president dismissed the idea of American leadership as slogans and that Obama was not taking into consideration the fear that the citizens of France were feeling, as well as those in the United States and the United Kingdom. She added that everyone is waiting for the worst to happen.

"He said something that was pretty incredible, according to many of the military experts here and around the world who I have spoken to, that our strategy is working. People do not believe that to be the case,’’ Amanpour said.

Obama has been quick to dismiss the notion of adding American troops on the ground, and Amanpour pointed out cities like Tikrit, and Kobani had been taken back from IS forces with combinations of air attacks, intelligence and ground forces.

Amanpour took issue with Obama's claim that IS is contained and said that it was just not true. She pointed out that IS has taken credit for the bombing of the Russian plane, the attacks in Beiruit Friday, and now the attacks in Paris, all examples of how the radical Islamic group is far from being contained.

Anderson Cooper tried to defend Obama's comments by saying that the president was referring to geographical containment on the ground. Amanpour shot back.

"Fine, but in terms of ability they are not contained. They just slaughtered 129 people in Paris. The death toll may rise very higher because there are 352 people injured, of whom 99 are critically wounded. So the question is to have an honest conversation now about a new strategy," Amanpour said.