U.S. intelligence says the Islamic State militant group has between 20,000 and 31,500 fighters on the ground in Iraq and Syria.
A Central Intelligence Agency spokesman said Thursday this is much higher than the previous estimate of 10,000.
He says the new estimate reflects stronger recruitment by the Islamic State since June following success on the battlefield and the declaration of a caliphate in Iraq and Syria.
Earlier Thursday, ministers from 10 Gulf and Arab nations said Thursday they are committed to joining the United States in a ‘coordinated military campaign’ against Islamic State fighters who have seized large swaths of Iraq and Syria.
As of Fridays speech from our beloved dictator oBama…I think it’s fair to assume that isis’s recruiting has gone into overtime. Somehow I don’t think isis is in fear for their lives as a result of oBamas firm words. Oh he said, we must not let islam be slandered… for it is the religion of peace. For over 1000 years Christians and muslims have been at odds. Somehow due to his leadership were supposed to believe that’s going to change? Co-exist? The business end of his crack pipe must be hot to the touch…