VOTEL’S BLUNT WARNING: The outgoing senior commander in the war against ISIS delivered a sobering message in his final appearance before Congress, warning that the terrorist group is not surrendering but simply regrouping in Iraq and Syria.

“We should be clear that what we are seeing now is not the surrender of ISIS as an organization, but a calculated decision to preserve the safety of their families and preservation of their capabilities by taking their chances in camps for internally displaced persons and going aground in remote areas and waiting for the right time to resurge,” said Gen. Joseph Votel, the head of U.S. Central Command, in testimony before the House Armed Services Committee.