“The threat from terrorism is real, but we will overcome it. We will destroy ISIL and any other organization that tries to harm us”, Obama said.
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While Obama was clear and firm on his opposition to such Islamic extremists, he was also cautious and equally clear the need to be vigilant is “not a war by America against Islam” and he stated ISIS does “not speak for Islam” and the “vast majority of the victims are Muslim”.
The FBI is investigating the massacre as a terrorist attack that would be the deadliest by Islamic extremists on American soil since September 11, 2001.
“The tragedy in San Bernardino could happen again, the infiltration of this country is unfortunately greater than it should be”, says Larson.
CHARLIE ROSE: President Obama says the terror attack in San Bernardino, California shows terrorism is in a new phase. “That, too, is what groups like ISIL want”, he said, using an acronym for the Islamic State terrorist group.
“It certainly would advance ISIL’s narrative that somehow they were acting on behalf of Islam, when in fact, the ideology that they are seeking to advance is a gross perversion of that religion”, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters at his daily news conference yesterday.
In his address to the American people Sunday, President Obama said Islamic State “does not speak for Islam” and noted the “millions of patriotic Muslim Americans who reject their hateful ideology”.
“He talked about terrorism as if it is a Muslim only thing”. No longer are terrorists seeking to commit multifaceted attacks, such as 9/11, but they have “turned to less complicated acts of violence”, such as the San Bernardino shootings. But speaking from a lectern in front of a resolute desk, Obama tried to sound resolute. He announced no significant shift in United States strategy and offered no new policy prescriptions for defeating ISIL, underscoring both his confidence in his current approach and the lack of easy options for countering the group. “Instead, we will prevail by being strong and smart, resilient and relentless, and by drawing upon every aspect of American power“.
Covering President Obama’s Sunday night address on Monday’s CBS This Morning, co-host Norah O’Donnell turned to White House correspondent Major Garrett for “new insight on why the President spoke last night”. “It’s not some of the political posturing that we’re talking about with the refugees-the ability of someone with a French or Belgian passport to come to America without additional screening – if that individual has been to a war zone – we need to correct that”. And it suggests the importance that the president and his advisers place on responding to criticism of his strategy for defeating the IS in Iraq and Syria.
For a fervently anti-war president who resists knee-jerk responses to panic and fear, there will be little change in a strategy that most Americans believe isn’t working. While Obama made a valiant attempt, his speech did not accomplish his goal comforting Americans and could have been much more impactful had he presented an actual plan.
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For more than one year, said Obama, he has ordered the military to launch airstrikes against ISIS targets. And throughout his presidency, Obama and his aides have sought backdrops outside Washington.
