The Pentagon Friday refused to weigh in on the question, "Who is the founder of ISIS?"

At an informal briefing for reporters Deputy Press Secretary Gordon Trowbridge was asked by the Examiner f he could name an individual most responsible for creating the group, also known as ISIL.It's a question the Pentagon might have been happy to answer a week ago, but well-aware of the political significance it has recently gained Trowbridge carefully side-stepped the potential minefield."I think the history of ISIL has been examined by historians and journalists," Trowbridge said, picking his words carefully. "So I think it is well-plowed territory, and you have ample opportunity to learn about the origins of ISIL from those various and multiple sources."Trowbridge was following the lead of his boss Defense Secretary Ash Carter, who has refused on several occasions to say if he thinks NATO is relevant, because Donald Trump said it was "obsolete.""The Secretary has made it abundantly clear that he wants this building to remain outside of the campaign debate this political season," Trowbridge explained. "I am not going to be the first person to violate that guidance."