Former head of CENTCOM says ISIS threat growing
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The former head of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) warned on Sunday that the Islamic State (ISIS) has a “strong desire” to attack the U.S. and other foreign powers.
Retired Gen. Frank McKenzie, former CENTCOM head, told ABC News’ “This Week” that this threat is “growing”.
McKenzie said the U.S. holds a large enough military presence in Syria and Iraq to combat ISIS in the region.
However, “It began to grow as soon as we left Afghanistan, it took pressure off ISIS-K,” McKenzie said.
He maintains that the U.S. should have kept a small troop presence in Afghanistan instead of completely pulling out.
McKenzie said his country now has almost no ability to see into Afghanistan and almost no ability to strike into it, which benefits ISIS .
“If you can keep pressure on them … in their homeland and their base, it makes it hard for them to conduct these types of attacks [Moscow attack],” he said.
Several ISIS militants opened fire at a popular concert venue on the outskirts of Moscow on March 29 night, killing about 60 people and wounding more than 100, Russian authorities said, making it the deadliest attack in the capital region in more than a decade.