Obama: We Will Overcome Terrorist Threats

Barack Obama, the President of the United States, stated on Sunday, December 6, during a television program that his country will overcome terrorist threats. He emphasized, "We will destroy ISIS or any group that seeks to harm us." In this live televised speech, the President said: We must not allow ourselves to become embroiled in another long and costly ground war in Iraq and Syria. This is exactly what ISIS wants. They know they cannot defeat us on the battlefield. ISIS is part of the insurgent movement we faced in Iraq. Following the deadly attacks in Paris last month and the shooting in California, several Republicans in Congress criticized Obama's approach to the war against the Islamic State (ISIS) and called for sending ground troops to Syria and Iraq. According to CNN, this is the third time Barack Obama has spoken live and directly to the American people from his office in the White House in the past seven years. However, the President stated that he considers the shooting by a couple at a holiday party in California, which left 14 dead and 21 injured, to be a terrorist act. But Obama said there is no evidence that the shooters were part of a terrorist network or were directed from abroad. He clarified: It is clear that these two had fallen into the depths of extremist darkness and believed in an interpretation of Islam that calls for war against the West and America. They had created a stockpile of weapons, ammunition, and bombs. Such an act, planned to kill innocent people, is a terrorist act. The President added: Our nation has been at war with terrorism since al-Qaeda killed nearly three thousand Americans on September 11. Obama continued: In recent years, terrorist threats have entered a new phase of evolution. Just as we have increased our capabilities to counter complex and multi-dimensional threats like the September 11 attacks, terrorists have turned to simpler forms of violence. The President referred to the rise of ISIS due to chaos in Iraq and Syria and their use of the internet, stating: We see that terrorists are trying to poison the minds of individuals like the perpetrators of the Boston Marathon and San Bernardino attacks. Barack Obama emphasized: Terrorist threats are real, but we will overcome them. We will destroy ISIS and any organization that seeks to harm us. There will be no success through harsh rhetoric, abandoning our values, or succumbing to fear. In fact, this is exactly what ISIS hopes for. Instead, we will prevail through strength, intelligence, resilience, and relentless effort, utilizing all aspects of America's power. Barack Obama also noted the necessity for Americans to adhere to their foundational principles and values, stating: Let us not forget that freedom is much stronger than fear. The President also asserted: All Americans, from all religions, are responsible for opposing discrimination against Muslims. He added: We should not treat Muslims differently because of the events in San Bernardino, California. The President stated: ISIS does not represent Islam. They are thugs and murderers and part of a death cult that constitutes a very small part of the one billion Muslim population worldwide... Moreover, the vast majority of victims of terrorist operations around the world are Muslims. If we want to succeed in the war against terrorism, we must see Muslims as a strong ally in this battle, not alienate them with suspicion and hatred. Barack Obama, while referring to the shooting in California, called for stricter gun control laws and stated that individuals on the no-fly list should not be able to purchase firearms. Syed Rizwan Farook, an inspector responsible for restaurant inspections at the San Bernardino Health Department, and his wife Tashfeen Malik attacked a holiday party attended by Farook's colleagues on Wednesday. Reports indicate that the couple fired 75 shots at the attendees, killing 14 and injuring 21. Farook and Malik were killed four hours later in a shootout with police. The FBI had previously announced that Malik had pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the Islamic State, on Facebook after the attack, but Facebook deleted the message moments later. Meanwhile, the Islamic State also claimed that Syed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik were its soldiers.