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President Barack Obama
Obama speech to
combat ISIS
Sept. 10, 2014
Good evening,
I just addressed the nation about what the United States will do with
our friends and allies to degrade and destroy the terrorist group known
as ISIL.
Let’s be clear: While this group may call itself the "Islamic State,"
it is not "Islamic." No religion condones the killing of innocents, and
the vast majority of ISIL's victims have been Muslim. Nor is it a
"state." It is not recognized by any government, nor by the people it
subjugates.
This is nothing but a terrorist organization with no vision or goal
other than to slaughter all who stand in its way. While we have not yet
detected specific plotting against our homeland, these terrorists have
threatened America and our allies. And the United States will meet this
threat with strength and resolve.
Already, our military has conducted more than 150 successful airstrikes
over the past month against ISIL targets in Iraq -- strikes that have
protected American personnel and facilities, killed hundreds of ISIL
fighters, and helped save the lives of thousands of innocent men,
women, and children.
Going forward, our objective is clear: We will degrade, and ultimately
destroy, ISIL through a comprehensive and sustained counterterrorism
strategy.
Here is what that strategy looks like.
First, we will conduct a systematic campaign of airstrikes against
these terrorists. Working alongside the Iraqi government, we'll expand
our efforts beyond protecting our own people to hit ISIL targets as
Iraqi forces go on offense. And we will continue to hunt down
terrorists who threaten our country, whether in Iraq or Syria. They
will learn what leaders of other terrorist organizations have already
learned: If you threaten America, you will find no safe haven.
Second, we will increase our support to the forces fighting these
terrorists on the ground. We will send an additional 475 service
members to Iraq to support Iraqi and Kurdish security forces. These
American forces will not have a combat mission. But they are needed to
support Iraqi and Kurdish forces with training, intelligence, and
equipment -- and tonight, I again called on Congress to give our
military the additional authorities and resources it needs to train and
equip the Syrian opposition fighters.
Third, working with our partners, we will continue to draw on our
substantial counterterrorism capabilities to prevent ISIL attacks.
Working with our partners, we will redouble our efforts to cut off its
funding, counter its warped ideology, improve our intelligence,
strengthen our defenses, and stem the flow of foreign fighters into and
out of the Middle East.
And fourth, we will continue to provide humanitarian assistance to the
innocent civilians displaced by this terrorism organization. This
includes Sunni and Shia Muslims who have borne the brunt of this
terror, as well as tens of thousands of Christians and other religious
minorities.
I have the authority to address the threat from ISIL. But I believe we
are strongest as a nation when the President and Congress work
together. So I welcome congressional action to support this effort in
order to show the world that Americans are united in confronting this
danger.
This mission will not be like the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It will
not involve American combat troops fighting on foreign soil. This
effort will be a steady and relentless approach to take out terrorists
who threaten us, while supporting our partners on the front lines.
This is American leadership at its best: We stand with people who fight
for their own freedom. And we rally other nations on behalf of our
common security and common humanity.
When American forces helped prevent the massacre of civilians trapped
on Mt. Sinjar, here is what one of them said:
"We owe our American friends our lives. Our children will always
remember that there was someone who felt our struggle and made a long
journey to protect innocent people.”
That is what the United States of America does. That is the difference
we make in the world. And moving forward, our own safety and security
depends upon our willingness to do what it takes to defend this nation,
and uphold the values that we stand for.
Thank you,
President Barack Obama
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