Whereas Mr. Maier’s backers expressed dismay on the method of his dismissal — summoned on Monday by a White Home liaison officer on the Pentagon an
Whereas Mr. Maier’s backers expressed dismay on the method of his dismissal — summoned on Monday by a White Home liaison officer on the Pentagon and informed to filter that day — additionally they criticized the brand new Protection Division management for enjoying to Mr. Trump’s overly optimistic evaluation of the Islamic State’s standing. The officers spoke on situation of anonymity as a result of they weren’t licensed to publicly talk about the state of affairs.
When Mr. Miller introduced final month that the US would draw all the way down to 2,500 troops in each Iraq and Afghanistan by Jan. 15, he trumpeted the demise of the Islamic State. “Because of our greater than 80 companions within the Defeat-ISIS Coalition, now we have destroyed the ISIS caliphate and can guarantee they by no means once more achieve a foothold to assault our folks,” Mr. Miller stated in remarks on Nov. 17.
However two months earlier, in late September, whereas nonetheless in his earlier job as director of the Nationwide Counterterrorism Heart, Mr. Miller struck a extra sobering notice in testimony to a Home committee: “ISIS has repeatedly demonstrated the power to rebound from extreme losses over the previous six years by counting on a devoted cadre of veteran midlevel commanders, in depth clandestine networks, and downturns in CT stress to persevere,” referring to counterterrorism stress.
Different counterterrorism officers estimate that the Islamic State, regardless of having misplaced its territorial management in Iraq and Syria, nonetheless has as many as 10,000 guerrilla fighters there, and maintains resilient associates throughout East and West Africa and Afghanistan.
“Chris is a straight-up professional,” Nicholas J. Rasmussen, a former director of the Nationwide Counterterrorism Heart, stated of Mr. Maier. “The thought that is justified as a result of we’ve gained the battle towards ISIS strains credulity.”
Pentagon officers insist they aren’t taking ISIS evenly, however that the second was proper to reorganize the division’s counterterrorism coverage efforts. The disbanding of Mr. Maier’s workplace and his 15 or so employees members follows an analogous consolidation on the State Division, the place the counter-ISIS duties carried out by James Jeffrey have been transferred to the division’s everlasting counterterrorism coordinator when Mr. Jeffrey retired final month.
“The Division of Protection will proceed to interact with our companions and allies to make sure the lasting defeat of ISIS and encourage the repatriation of overseas terrorist fighters for prosecution,” stated the Pentagon assertion.