Putin: ISIS Funded by 40 countries, Including G20

Obama inaction against ISIS diminishes U.S. power

The motives for Vladimir Putin taking over leadership in the fight against ISIS are at least suspect, but there is no question that he is taking the roll that should have been undertaken by Barack Obama.  He has just shared intelligence that ISIS’ terrorist activities are being financed by as many as 40 countries, including some members of the G20.

He also announced that a significant portion of ISIS funding is coming from petroleum sales from areas ISIS has expropriated. It is unlikely that the Obama administration was unaware of these facts and did not have the ability to confront the countries involved in the worldwide crisis or to take action against the funding sources that Putin outlined.

Many question Obama’s commitment to containing and defeating the Islamic group, and wonder if he has an underlying reason for his impotence in facing down ISIS. Now, however, he has been pushed aside by Putin and is in the position of merely reacting to a more forceful leader.

Putin pointed out the change in Washington’s stance on cooperation with Moscow in the fight against the terrorists.

“We need to organize work specifically on the prevention of terrorist attacks and tackling terrorism on a global scale. We offered to cooperate [with the US] in anti-IS efforts. Unfortunately, our American partners refused. They just sent a written note and it says: ‘we reject your offer’,” Putin said.

“But life is always evolving and at a very fast pace, often teaching us lessons. And I think that now the realization that an effective fight [against terror] can only be staged together is coming to everybody,” the Russian leader said.

According to Putin, first of all it should be decided which groups in Syria can be considered terrorist organizations and which can be attributed to an armed, but still legitimate part of the Syrian opposition.

“Our efforts must be concentrated on the battle with terrorist organizations.”

Putin also disagreed with Western criticism of Russia’s actions in Syria, where the country has been carrying out a large-scale air campaign against Islamic State and other terror groups since September 30.

Obama has squandered his role as leader of the free world and defender of the helpless and hopeless. He has also shown he is unwilling to identify those players who would destroy Western civilization, either as Islamic terrorists, or power brokers such as the G20 members who would use ISIS as proxy.  In either case, he has ceded control and respect to Putin, and he has made the world a much more dangerous and uncivil place for all.

Source: www.rt.com