Sen. Dianne Feinstein criticized the president’s strategy against the Islamic State on Sunday, saying that the terrorist group has grown despite Pentagon claims that it has lost ground.
“What I’m saying is this has gone on too long now and it has not gotten better, it’s gotten worse,” Feinstein, D-Calif., said on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”
The Pentagon has said that the Islamic State holds less territory in Iraq and Syria today than it did a year ago. While Feinstein said that may be true, “there’s much more they have gained in other countries,” pointing to recent terrorist attacks in Tunisia.
The Islamic State also recently demonstrated their ability to attack the West with a string of six attacks in Paris earlier this month.
The president has faced criticism, even from members of his own party, for doubling down on his strategy against the Islamic State in the days after the attacks.
“I don’t think the approach is sufficient for the job,” said Feinstein, a top ranking Senate Democrat who serves on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. “I’m concerned that we don’t have the time and we don’t have years. We need to be aggressive now.”
Analysts said that the president’s unwillingness to revise the plan suggests an overconfidence, while other countries like France and Russia are increasing their strikes in Syria.
Earlier this year, the president announced he would send a group of 50 U.S. special operators to Syria to act on the ground as advisors.
But Feinstein said that’s not going to be enough to defeat the Islamic State.
“I think we need a specific larger special operations plan,” she said. “A group of 50 is fine for what they’re doing so far, but it’s not going to solve the problem.”
Sixty percent of Americans support an increased U.S. ground force in the fight, according to an ABC/Washington Post poll released Friday.
