White House Won't Say Whether Obama Has Opinion On Jordan's Retaliation Against Islamic State

If President Barack Obama has any thoughts on Jordan's execution of two prisoners, he's keeping them to himself. During a press conference this week, Fox News' Ed Henry, following up on a previous questions, asked White House press secretary Josh Earnest how it was possible not to have a reaction to Jordan's decision to retaliate against the Islamic State after the militant group's brutal killing of Jordanian fight pilot Lt. Muath al-Kaseasbeh. Another reporter had previously pointed out the European Union has come out against Jordan's decision to execute the prisoners. "The United States stands with our friends in Jordan as they confront this awful, barbaric act. But as it relates to the decisions that are carried by the Jordanian justice system, I'd refer you to them," Earnest said in response to Henry. "I just don't have the working knowledge of the Jordanian justice system to render an opinion on this." "All I know is that the individuals that we're discussing here were individuals who were convicted of terrorism-related crimes, they were individuals who were sentenced to death, and these were individuals who'd been serving time on death row," he continued. The Islamic State group released a graphic video of al-Kaseasbeh being burned alive that started circulating online Tuesday. Jordan officials announced their decision to execute the two Iraqi al Qaeda prisoners Wednesday and called for action against the Islamic State, saying "this evil can and should be defeated."