White House takes a swing at Obama's handling of ISIS

pulse

July 11, 2017 3:31 AM

"We will continue to seek the total destruction of ISIS."

President Donald Trump and former President Barack Obama at the White House on January 20, 2017 in Washington, DC.

The White House took a subtle jab at the Obama administration's handling of Islamic State forces in a statement released Monday.

"We have made tremendous progress against ISIS – more in the past 6 months than in the years since ISIS became a major threat," a White House statement read.

The statement follows Iraq Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declaring victory in light of the recent gains made against the Islamic State militants in Mosul, Iraq's second-largest city.

"I announce from here the end and the failure and the collapse of the terrorist state of falsehood and terrorism which the terrorist Daesh announced from Mosul," said al-Abadi in a speech.

Around 100,000 troops comprised of the Iraqi government, Kurdish Peshmerga units, and Shi'ite militias launched a campaign to liberate the city in October, according to Reuters. US forces, including air and artillery assets, were also used to aid the coalition to drive out ISIS from Mosul and neighboring Syria.

President Donald Trump has long been a vocal critic of his predecessor, Barack Obama, on dealing with ISIS, at one point evencalling him the "founder" and "most valuable player" for the terrorist organization.

"ISIS is advancing even against Obama’s airstrikes. Obama is disengaged and making the Middle East even more dangerous," tweeted Trump in 2014.