National Security

Obama: I didn’t create the Islamic State

By Gabby Morrongiello
Published December 6, 2016 10:18pm ET
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Obama: I didn’t create the Islamic State
"There’s been a debate about ISIL that's focused on whether a continued U.S. troop presence in Iraq back in 2011 could have stopped the threat of ISIL from growing and, as a practical matter, this was not an option," said President Obama. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara) | Chris O'Meara

President Obama spent several minutes during a major speech on Monday defending his decision to pull American troops out of Iraq in 2011, rebutting repeated criticism by President-elect Donald Trump that the move uncorked a new terrorist threat.

Despite demanding in 2006 that then-President Bush pull American military forces out of Iraq, Trump has since called Obama the “founder of ISIS” for bringing those troops home.

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Barack Obama Biden Transition Donald Trump Gabby Morrongiello Iraq ISIS Middle East Minusextra Syria