Fmr. Rep. Joe Sestak: It Wasn’t the Intelligence Community who Underestimated ISIS

SESTAK: “If you remember back in January and February, the head, the general -- the defense agency actually testified before the House and Senate that in 2014 ISIS would take over large swaths of territory. In fact, at the time he had testified, they had already seized Ramadi and Fallujah, 35 miles from Baghdad. I think it was pretty obvious from his testimony that they had the capability. And even Jim Clapper said that. And there they were, 35 miles away. So I think it was slow on the part of the entire administration to assess that they — what they had to do in order to address the threat."

DÍAZ-BALART: "And explain that. Take me into that a little bit because you’re saying that the intelligence community did not get it wrong? And yet we’re dealing with a situation now where it seems as though there was a delay."

SESTAK: "Yes. So if you remember Jim Clapper said that they underestimated their will to fight. But he said they have the prowess in order to do what they actually did -- and the capability. And the general in charge of the defense intelligence agency actually said they would seize significant areas in Iraq in 2014. And when you have this force occupy Fallujah and Ramadi back in January -- well, 35 miles from Baghdad, it’s pretty obvious that something is missed. And if you remember, all the media and everyone was calling them al Qaeda, and then they changed their name. But I think at that time thinking through what the implications might be, might have better addressed this issue from where we are today."