CIA Estimate for ISIS: 31,500, Up by 21,500

It may be 31,000. It may be 20,000. But 31,500 sounds like more of a threat, so the CIA will let you choose that figure.
Bottom line: the CIA has no idea.
In June, there were 10,000, we are told. Really? What was the official CIA estimate in June? Sorry. The CIA did not offer one.
Why not? Because in June, ISIS had only recently been identified as a terrorist organization. In May, it was a freedom-fighting institution. It was fighting Bashar al-Assad, that evil man in Syria. You know. Hitler. Back in May, the U. S. government gave military aid to ISIS as part of the anti-Assad coalition.
Anyway, ISIS is now up to 31,500, maybe. That’s up 21,500 in three months. This is for both Syria and Iraq.
That is a growth rate that indicates a looming mass movement. Recruits could be described as coming out of the woodwork, if Syria and Iraq had any wood. But Obama is going to defeat ISIS with drone strikes operated by pilots in Nevada. No problem.
No boots. No ground. Drones.

This post was published at Tea Party Economist on September 13, 2014.