Defense officials warn that airstrikes are not stopping Islamic State's conquest of Iraq and Syria

President Obama's multi-month campaign of airstrikes against Islamic State forces in Iraq and Syria, while a major moral booster for Iraqi forces and a token gesture of support from the United States, may not actually be nearly as effective as the White House has led on.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - U.S. intelligence and defense officials, say that the three month offensive of sustained bombardment has made minimal progress towards the president's goal to "degrade and destroy" the Islamic State.

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Intelligence that has been gathered through October and November was presented to a classified briefing for senators on November 19. It indicated that while the airstrikes have had luck with stalling Islamic State offensives, the groups still seems to be growing stronger.

"The trajectory of foreign fighters is ticking up," said one intelligence official who spoke with NBC news on condition of anonymity.

So far, 945 air strikes have been conducted by the U.S. in regions controlled or being fought over by the Islamic State. Of these, 521 have occurred in Iraq and 424 in Syria.

These airstrikes have been successful in stopping Islamic State offensives, and in Iraq have bought time for security forces to establish a larger defensive perimeter around Baghdad and other areas, but all ground forces are a long way from being capable of successfully conducting any ground offensive against the Islamic State.

There is a "delicate balance" on the ground between the combat capability of Iraqi troops and the fighting ability of the Islamic State, said Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey.

He has warned that Iraqi forces will not be able push "too far into hostile areas."

"I'm encouraged, but pragmatic," he said.

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