Fmr Obama CIA, DoD Chief of Staff: ‘ISIS Is Going to Have the Advantage’ In Cities

Jeremy Bash, who served as Chief of Staff for Leon Panetta during his time as CIA Director and Secretary of Defense said that “in an urban environment,” “ISIS is going to have the advantage” and that ISIS’ takeover of Ramadi is “very, very concerning” on Monday’s “Andrea Mitchell Reports” on MSNBC.

Bash stated, “Well, I think ISIS is most vulnerable when it’s on the move. So, as it moves here from Ramadi, eastward towards Baghdad…they’re only 70 miles from Baghdad. I think that’s where air power can really make a decisive difference. Because we can basically hit them on the open road, hit their command and control, hit their transportation and logistic networks. But, in a city, in an urban environment like Ramadi, ISIS is going to have the advantage, they’re going to have the lead on the ground. And that’s particularly if Iraqi Security Forces cut and run as we apparently have seen them do in Ramadi, it’s going to be very hard for the coalition to push them back. So, I think this is a long fight, but I think this is the opening chapter of a very long fight against ISIS. There have been ups and there have been downs. But the last 24 hours have been very, very concerning.”

Bash later praised the US’ handling of the fight against ISIS in Tikrit.

Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett