Pentagon probing whether U.S. military skewed analysis of progress against IS militants

Politics

Pentagon probing whether U.S. military skewed analysis of progress against IS militants

The Pentagon’s inspector general is investigating allegations that the military command overseeing the anti-Islamic State campaign distorted or altered intelligence assessments to exaggerate progress against the militant group, a defense official said Wednesday. The probe began after at least one civilian analyst at the Defense Intelligence Agency said he had evidence that U.S. Central Command officials were reworking intelligence report conclusions prepared for President Obama and other policymakers, according to the New York Times. Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said he could not confirm the probe.

If the assessments were indeed skewed, it could help explain why public descriptions of progress against the militants have varied. Since the U.S.-led bombing campaign of the Islamic State began in Iraq a year ago, and subsequently in Syria, Iraqi security forces have retaken some territory previously seized by the group, but not major cities like Mosul and Ramadi. But according to the Times, U.S. intelligence agencies recently found that the group has been little weakened by the assault, as demonstrated by its expansion into North Africa and Central Asia.