Number of people travelling to join ISIS in Iraq & Syria doubled in the last 18 months

ISIS is contained. ISIS is not getting stronger. We'll handle the J.V. team, you should go shopping.

That's the message from Barack Obama, who has repeatedly assured the world that he has this whole ISIS thing under control. Even as his usual media allies abandon ship, he clings to that message. It's a laughable claim but he continues to make it - blissfully defiant of the facts that have become painfully apparent to everyone else. Now, we have yet another indicator that reality isn't living up to the view offered by Barack Obama's rose-colored glasses. The number of ISIS faithful who are travelling to Iraq and Syria to join the fight has more than doubled in the last 18 months. From the Politico:

From Libya to Norway, the number of foreign fighters traveling to Syria and Iraq to fight for the Islamic State terrorist group has more than doubled in the last 18 months, according to a new intelligence report released Tuesday, suggesting that efforts to stem the tide of travel in, that respect have not been successful. The Soufan Group's June 2014 assessment estimated that 12,000 people had traveled to Syria to fight for ISIL. In its new report, that number now stands at 27,000 to 31,000 from at least 86 different countries. From Libya, Tunisia and the country of Georgia to Brussels' Molenbeek district, where the architect of the Nov. 13 Paris attacks lived, to Fredrikstad, Norway, the countries of origin run the gamut from traditional terrorist breeding grounds to more recent ones

Why is the number skyrocketing? Basically, ISIS is changing. Where it was once a wacky collection of upstarts trying to grab some land, it's now solidified its territorial control and is branching out - to planned attacks in other countries. That, apparently, is attracting travel-capable would-be terrorists from foreign lands, while simultaneously inspiring those who won't make the trip.

"It will attract more recruits from abroad, but they may differ from the earlier wave of hopefuls who were attracted by the prospect of a brand new state that would provide them what they could not find at home," the group concluded in its report summary. "As the Islamic State changes its focus from consolidating control of territory to attacking its foreign enemies in their homelands, or their interests elsewhere, the profile of its foreign recruits will also change. All the while, the group will continue to inspire attacks by those who do not wish to travel, but rather fight for the group in their country of residence." According to the report, Tunisians are the most prevalent nationality coming to fight in Syria, at 6,000. Saudi Arabia follows with 2,500, with 2,400 coming from Russia, 2,100 from Turkey and 2,000 from Jordan. On a regional basis, 8,240 came from the Middle East, while 8,000 came from the Maghreb, in North Africa. Third on the list is western Europe, with 5,000, and former Soviet republics, which have drawn approximately 4,700.

So, that's what "contained" looks like in ObamaLand.

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