Referring to the Islamic State, President Obama made the following claims mere hours before the horrific terrorist attacks took place in Paris, France: “I don’t think they’re gaining strength. What is true is that from the start, our goal has been first to contain and we have contained them. They have not gained ground in Iraq, and in Syria they’ll come in, they’ll leave, but you don’t see this systemic march by ISIL across the terrain.”

The president has also flippantly referred to the Islamic State as a “J.V. team,” quipping that if the Islamic State were to “put on a Lakers uniform, that doesn’t make them Kobe Bryant.”