Liberal MSNBC host Chris Matthews ranted against Pentagon spokesman John Kirby for his claim that America has had “very good success” in battling Islamic terrorism, calling it “an absurd statement” and declaring that “we’re not winning the war against terrorism over there.”
Matthews reacted incredulously to the rear admiral’s assertion on Tuesday that we’re winning the war against Islamic fundamentalism — the very same day that ISIS released a second video showing them beheading American journalist Steven Sotloff in Iraq.
“Of course, that’s an absurd statement he just made,” he began. “Because we went into Iraq, blew the country apart, created the opportunity for ISIS to grow — it grew out of where was nothing — a much bigger and a larger threat to us than anything we faced from Saddam Hussein. So the idea that we’ve been on the aggressor side here, that we’ve been winning this war against terrorism, is ludicrous.”
“We’re facing a new danger now that is going after our people over there,” Matthews continued, cutting of his guest. “Which is threatening to become an actual country. And no one seems willing to take it on in the entire region! And we’re not taking it on! How can you say we’re winning like he just said, the admiral just said!?”
“I don’t understand that statement,” he went on, interrupting his guest again. “I guess he has to say that kind of stuff because of his position. But we’re not winning the war against terrorism over there.”