White House, Pentagon contradict Kerry, say US ‘at war’ with ISIS

[WestVirginiaRebel]

Fox News:

The White House and Pentagon acknowledged Friday that the U.S. “is at war” with the Islamic State -- contradicting Secretary of State John Kerry and others who a day earlier refused to use that term, prompting criticism from lawmakers that the administration was downplaying the conflict.

 

White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest and Pentagon spokesman Rear Adm. John Kirby used almost identical language when pressed by reporters Friday whether or not the expanded military operation against the terrorist group is in fact a war.

 

“In the same way that the United States is at war with Al Qaeda and its affiliates … the United States is at war with ISIL,” Earnest said.

 

Kirby said “this is not the Iraq War” from a decade ago, “but make no mistake -- we know we are at war with ISIL in the same way we are at war and continue to be at war with Al Qaeda and its affiliates.”

 

The comments are a sharp turnaround from how Kerry described the military operation on Thursday. In interviews with CNN and CBS News, Kerry described it as a “very significant” and “major counterterrorism operation.” He told CBS News that “war is the wrong terminology.”

 

His spokeswoman, Marie Harf, also said she would not “refer to our efforts” as part of the “war on terrorism.”

 

Kerry’s comments, though, stirred confusion on Capitol Hill, coming a day after President Obama announced plans to expand airstrikes in Iraq and authorize them in Syria, while dispatching hundreds more U.S. military personnel.

________

 

Right hand, meet left hand...

[Cyber_Liberty]

I don't know which batch of idiots to root for....

 

I think the White Hut and the Pentagon get a slight edge here, if only because Kerry has proven himself to be even more inept than Hillary! Clinton. As messed up as she is, she would never have allowed this nonsense:

 

[Draggingtree]

9/12/2014

Josh Earnest and Sec Kerry Make Their Case For Stupidest People of The Week

Filed under: General — JD @ 12:58 pm

[guest post by JD]

 

They do not even listen to each other.

 

Yesterday Sec Kerry assured us we are NOT at war with ISIL.

 

Today Spokesliar Earnest informs is we are at war with ISIL.

 

Spokesliar Harf could not be reached for comment.

 

Spokesliar Psaki is busy creating a new slogan for the #WarOnHashtags.

http://patterico.com/2014/09/12/josh-earnest-and-sec-kerry-make-their-case-for-stupidest-people-of-the-week/