Exclusive: Pentagon Map Hides ISIS Gains

[flowers]

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/04/22/the-pentagon-s-isis-map-is-so-wrong.html

The Defense Department released a map last week showing territory where it is has pushed ISIS back, claiming that the terrorist group is “no longer able to operate freely in roughly 25 to 30 percent of populated areas of Iraqi territory where it once could.” This was touted as evidence of success by numerous news outlets.

Pushing ISIS back is clearly a good step. But the information from the Pentagon is, at best, misleading and incomplete, experts in the region and people on the ground tell The Daily Beast. They said the map misinforms the public about how effective the U.S.-led effort to beat back ISIS has actually been. The map released by the Pentagon excludes inconvenient facts in some parts, and obscures them in others.

The Pentagon’s map assessing the so-called Islamic State’s strength has only two categories: territory held by ISIS currently, and territory lost by ISIS since coalition airstrikes began in August 2014. The category that would illustrate American setbacks—where ISIS has actually gained territory since the coalition effort began—is not included.

[alicewonders]

I don't believe a word this administration says, they have not one iota of credibility and the willing media that repeats what they tell them have no credibility either.  If it weren't so horrible, it would be a joke.

[EC]

Of course it does. All the ISIL gains are in Syria or southern and Western Iraq - places where the US is handling the fight back. IS is being steadily pushed out of Northern/Eastern Iraq, where the US really isn't involved beyond the odd (very odd) bombing run.

It don't look good when the leader of the "US lead" coalition is apparently bleep up by the numbers.

** Note - they aren't, but it looks that way.