Republican presidential candidate and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum said Monday the Islamic State views President Obama as an ally because of his policies.
"When they listed me in their publication as an enemy of ISIS they did so because I accurately described who they are, and I accurately described why we have to defeat them," Santorum said on NewsMaxTV on Monday. "They see that as the threat, that's an enemy.
"They see [Obama] in many respects, the policies he's put forward, as an ally," the former senator and Christian movie studio executive continued.
Santorum, who is still running for president, was once quoted in ISIS' online magazine.
"The Obama policy is to contain ISIS," Santorum said, adding the president wanted to "allow them to keep their territory."
Santorum concluded that allowing ISIS to keep their territory would let them say they stood up to the U.S., which he said would be "the most powerful tool they have."