'Muslims are our friends, neighbors and sports heroes': Obama interrupts Sunday night TV to preach tolerance and gun control but pledges no ground war against the 'thugs' of ISIS 'death cult'
Obama addressed the nation from the Oval Office for only the third time
He spoke about the investigation into the San Bernardino killings as well as the threat to America from terrorism and his plan to defeat ISIS
Obama declared the killings an 'act of terrorism' and said the perpetrators went down the 'dark path of radicalization'
He called on Congress to pass legislation barring individuals on the no-fly list from purchasing guns, saying it was a matter of national security
He also called for laws that make it harder for people to buy 'powerful assault weapons'
PUBLISHED: 20:09 EST, 6 December 2015 | UPDATED: 01:22 EST, 7 December 2015
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President Barack Obama used his Sunday night address on terrorism to reassure the American people that the San Bernardino shootings last week appear to be an isolated incident, despite one of the killers pledging allegiance to ISIS.
The president firmly dismissed a change in strategy in the war against the extremists that would require combat troops on the ground in Iraq and Syria.
And while the terrorist group is made up of 'thugs and killers' and is part of a 'cult of death', he again refused to call them 'radical Islamic terrorists'.
Americans must not take out their grievances with the fanatics on followers of Islam, he said.
'Muslim Americans are our friends and our neighbors are coworkers, our sports heroes. And yes, they are our men and women in uniform who are willing to die in defense of our country,' the president said, speaking from the Oval Office. 'We have to remember that.'
He also called on Congress to pass legislation barring individuals on the no-fly list from purchasing guns.
The symbolic use of the Oval Office was an attempt by Obama to set a tone of political gravitas equal to the moment after repeated accusations that he underestimated the threat from ISIS and was too slow to identify the San Bernardino mass murder as domestic terrorism.
In only the third Oval address, Obama declared the killings an 'act of terrorism' and said the perpetrators went down the 'dark path of radicalization'.
But there is 'no evidence' they were directed to commit the murders by a specific terrorist group nor is the United States under threat of an imminent attack, he said.
The FBI is still 'gathering the facts', Obama declared, but that much is known.
Syed Farook, a 28-year-old American, and Tashfeen Malik, his 29-year-old wife born in Pakistan - both Muslims - carried out the massacre which left 14 dead and 21 injured. The duo were killed in a police stand-off.
Malik is said to have pledged allegiance to ISIS on Facebook at the time of the rampage.
The FBI is investigating the shooting spree as a terrorist attack, it said Friday.
ddressing the United States' campaign to debilitate ISIS this evening Obama said: 'We cannot turn against one another by letting this fight be defined as a war between America and Islam. That too is what groups like ISIL want. ISIL does not speak for Islam.'
ISIS, he said, using an alternative reference to the group, ISIL, makes up a 'tiny fraction' of the billions of Muslims around the world - millions of whom 'reject their hateful ideology'.
'That does not mean denying the fact that an extremist ideology has spread within some Muslim communities,' Obama said. 'This is a real problem that Muslims must confront, without excuse.'
Muslim leaders must vocally reject any twisted interpretation of Islam such as the one pronounced by ISIS, he said.
'But just as it is the responsibility of Muslims around the world to root out misguided ideas that lead to radicalization, it is the responsibility of all Americans - of every faith - to reject discrimination,' Obama argued.
Leading Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump tore into Obama on Twitter during his remarks and said afterward, 'Is that all there is? We need a new President - FAST!'
'Well, Obama refused to say (he just can't say it), that we are at WAR with RADICAL ISLAMIC TERRORISTS.'
Trump and other Republicans have ripped Obama for months for refusing to use the phrase. The San Bernardino assault rejuvenated the line of attack.
The White House said Friday that it 'marginalizes Muslims' to invoke extremists' religion and indicated that Obama would not be referring to them as such.
'The administration seems to be really flailing and tone deaf to this latest challenge,' he said. However, Alberto Fernandez, who previously worked at the State Department as head of the anti-propaganda unit, said the situation, 'forces the administration to look at where it does not want to go and is weakest, at jihadist ideology and its dissemination'.
Republicans contended tonight that Obama had his head in the sand on its military policy, as well.
Bob Corker, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said, 'What the president needed to do tonight, but failed to do, is to articulate to the American people a new, clear strategy to defeat ISIS and protect our country and our allies from more terrorist attacks.'
'Instead, what we heard was more of the same containment strategy,' he said. 'The threat of ISIS and its followers is not just something we see across our shores; it's here in our homeland, and it demands a more robust strategy, stronger U.S. leadership, and the resolve of both the president and the American people to fight—and win—this battle against terrorism.'
House Speaker Paul Ryan said the president's address was 'disappointing' in that it laid out 'no new plan, just a half-hearted attempt to defend and distract from a failing policy.'
Obama's address comes as a majority of Americans say his approach to terrorism falls short of their expectations.
A Washington Post/ABC News poll last month after the Paris attacks but before California found that a record low of 40 percent of Americans approved of Obama's handling of terrorism and only 35 percent looked favorably upon his record to destroy ISIS.
Tonight he admitted the U.S. has moved into a 'new phase' in the global terrorist threat, but outlined no new military measures his administration would be taking to weaken the group's stranglehold on Iraq and Syria.
'I know that we see ourselves with friends and coworkers at a holiday party like the one in San Bernardino. I know we see our kids in the faces of the young people killed in Paris. And I know that after so much war, many Americans are asking whether we are confronted by a cancer that has no immediate cure.'
Continuing, he said, 'Well, here’s what I want you to know: The threat from terrorism is real, but we will overcome it.'
'Our success won’t depend on tough talk, or abandoning our values, or giving into fear. That’s what groups like ISIL are hoping for. Instead, we will prevail by being strong and smart, resilient and relentless, and by drawing upon every aspect of American power.'
Is there some reason he has to qualify this with "oh, but they are our friends , blah, blah". Has he ever done likewise for Chrisitans or any other group? He talks about Republicans in the most despicable, disgusting ways but enemies who are killing us, Nah.
The FBI is still 'gathering the facts', Obama declared, but that much is known.
Syed Farook, a 28-year-old American, and Tashfeen Malik, his 29-year-old wife born in Pakistan - both Muslims - carried out the massacre which left 14 dead and 21 injured. The duo were killed in a police stand-off.
Um, no Obama. Apparently, they aren't. They stopped gathering facts before the corpses assumed room temperature.
They're not my friends or neighbors and my hero's are people I know, not some stranger.
Interrupted a game to give a tolerance speech.
Sounds like Hitler.
He sure knew what to say to get pretty much entire countries to follow him.
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A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
Every incident is "isolated". One after the other. Nothing to see folks. Move slong. Nothing will blowup today cuz zi guarantee it. What a fraking moron.
Round 'em up and put them in a camp until we can sort everything out.
BRING ON THE HOLOCAUST!!
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“You may shoot me with your words, you may cut me with your eyes, you may kill me with your hatefulness, but still, like air, I'll rise!” ― Maya Angelou
Actually, I was referring to the camps we set up after Pearl Harbor which housed the Japanese population until we could figure out who was working with Japan to overthrow America. There was one not too far from my grandparents in California.
What I am in favor of is taking our PC blinders off. We don't need any more of them coming in. We can stop that. We can quit trying to investigate everyone, do some profiling, and focus on those most likely to commit terrorist acts.
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I'm not arguing, I'm just explaining why I'm right.
Well, I could agree with you--but then we'd both be wrong.
What I am in favor of is taking our PC blinders off. We don't need any more of them coming in. We can stop that. We can quit trying to investigate everyone, do some profiling, and focus on those most likely to commit terrorist acts.
Thank you husker. You can not put a whole religion of people in a concentration camp. And that is EXACTLY what it is. We do, as a country, need to wake up to who we are letting into our country.
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“You may shoot me with your words, you may cut me with your eyes, you may kill me with your hatefulness, but still, like air, I'll rise!” ― Maya Angelou
Okay.....so what about the ones with ties to radical islamics? Rather than just "watching" them, detain them. Lock them up. Watching hasn't done a whole hell of a lot of good. And what about investigating each and every Muslim for these ties? Rather than "welcoming" them and making them feel comfortable, check them out.
I think anyone with ties to Radical Islam needs to be deported. Immediately. I don't have a sit around and wait attitude. First, the US should stop allowing ANYONE from ANYWHERE in our country. We have problems we need address. Stop all visa's and everything. No one from any country can come in until we get things worked out. If you have ties to Radical Islam you go. Then we go from there. We need to start vetting these people and our government is just not doing it.
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“You may shoot me with your words, you may cut me with your eyes, you may kill me with your hatefulness, but still, like air, I'll rise!” ― Maya Angelou
Okay.....so what about the ones with ties to radical islamics? Rather than just "watching" them, detain them. Lock them up. Watching hasn't done a whole hell of a lot of good. And what about investigating each and every Muslim for these ties? Rather than "welcoming" them and making them feel comfortable, check them out.
I think that would depend on what the ties were. If it's just looking some ISIS page on Facebook, I'm not so sure.
However, I do think they should grant search warrants in those cases to confiscate guns or potential bomb making materials, allow for a more thorough search of any computers, and crawl up the ass of any friends or associates.
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I'm not arguing, I'm just explaining why I'm right.
Well, I could agree with you--but then we'd both be wrong.
I think anyone with ties to Radical Islam needs to be deported. Immediately. I don't have a sit around and wait attitude. First, the US should stop allowing ANYONE from ANYWHERE in our country. We have problems we need address. Stop all visa's and everything. No one from any country can come in until we get things worked out. If you have ties to Radical Islam you go. Then we go from there. We need to start vetting these people and our government is just not doing it.
A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
I so agree, They won't release his school records and his birth certificate is iffy. He lived in a very strong muslim community (I've been there) he went to a Islamic school and not all schools there are Islamic. He may not be muslim only he and his family knows for sure and even though he claims to be Christian I don't think he has been to Church since he became President. I don't trust him. I hoped that he would be a good President when he was first elected but nope he is not.
You people make me SO sad. Any idea how many hard-working peaceful Muslims there are in America?
A poster here changed her DOCTOR because he was a Muslim. DS1 has Muslim friends...in fact, one is here with us now.
flan
So why aren't they doing anything to stop the radicals? Because they agree with them...
What, exactly, do you propose that your everyday Muslim next door do to combat radical Muslims that our national security people are not doing? And if they should be doing it - so should you.
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LawyerLady
I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you.
You people make me SO sad. Any idea how many hard-working peaceful Muslims there are in America?
A poster here changed her DOCTOR because he was a Muslim. DS1 has Muslim friends...in fact, one is here with us now.
flan
So why aren't they doing anything to stop the radicals? Because they agree with them...
What, exactly, do you propose that your everyday Muslim next door do to combat radical Muslims that our national security people are not doing? And if they should be doing it - so should you.
Reporting them, not attending their churches...publically denouncing them.
Yeah, there are a handful that do so, but 99% of the "peaceful" ones don't do a damn thing.
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America guarantees equal opportunity, not equal outcome...
You people make me SO sad. Any idea how many hard-working peaceful Muslims there are in America?
A poster here changed her DOCTOR because he was a Muslim. DS1 has Muslim friends...in fact, one is here with us now.
flan
So why aren't they doing anything to stop the radicals? Because they agree with them...
What, exactly, do you propose that your everyday Muslim next door do to combat radical Muslims that our national security people are not doing? And if they should be doing it - so should you.
Reporting them, not attending their churches...publically denouncing them.
Yeah, there are a handful that do so, but 99% of the "peaceful" ones don't do a damn thing.
"Their" churches? So peaceful Muslims are supposed to give up their religion and stop going to church? And how do you know that Ali down the street knows who the terrorist threats are? That is a HUGE assumption. Yes, I'm sure there are some, but it certainly isn't all or even close to it.
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LawyerLady
I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you.
You people make me SO sad. Any idea how many hard-working peaceful Muslims there are in America?
A poster here changed her DOCTOR because he was a Muslim. DS1 has Muslim friends...in fact, one is here with us now.
flan
So why aren't they doing anything to stop the radicals? Because they agree with them...
What, exactly, do you propose that your everyday Muslim next door do to combat radical Muslims that our national security people are not doing? And if they should be doing it - so should you.
Reporting them, not attending their churches...publically denouncing them.
Yeah, there are a handful that do so, but 99% of the "peaceful" ones don't do a damn thing.
"Their" churches? So peaceful Muslims are supposed to give up their religion and stop going to church? And how do you know that Ali down the street knows who the terrorist threats are? That is a HUGE assumption. Yes, I'm sure there are some, but it certainly isn't all or even close to it.
Look at the article I posted. If their Imams or whatever they are called are calling for the death of Christians and Jews, then they need to not attend that church...and if they do, then I will assume that they agree with them...
__________________
America guarantees equal opportunity, not equal outcome...
You people make me SO sad. Any idea how many hard-working peaceful Muslims there are in America?
A poster here changed her DOCTOR because he was a Muslim. DS1 has Muslim friends...in fact, one is here with us now.
flan
So why aren't they doing anything to stop the radicals? Because they agree with them...
What, exactly, do you propose that your everyday Muslim next door do to combat radical Muslims that our national security people are not doing? And if they should be doing it - so should you.
Reporting them, not attending their churches...publically denouncing them.
Yeah, there are a handful that do so, but 99% of the "peaceful" ones don't do a damn thing.
"Their" churches? So peaceful Muslims are supposed to give up their religion and stop going to church? And how do you know that Ali down the street knows who the terrorist threats are? That is a HUGE assumption. Yes, I'm sure there are some, but it certainly isn't all or even close to it.
Look at the article I posted. If their Imams or whatever they are called are calling for the death of Christians and Jews, then they need to not attend that church...and if they do, then I will assume that they agree with them...
Then those are SPECIFIC mosques, not every one. You cannot paint a billion people as evil because they don't believe as you do.
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LawyerLady
I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you.
You people make me SO sad. Any idea how many hard-working peaceful Muslims there are in America?
A poster here changed her DOCTOR because he was a Muslim. DS1 has Muslim friends...in fact, one is here with us now.
flan
So why aren't they doing anything to stop the radicals? Because they agree with them...
What, exactly, do you propose that your everyday Muslim next door do to combat radical Muslims that our national security people are not doing? And if they should be doing it - so should you.
But I don't have the same opportunities. I don't go to mosques or other places where Muslims gather. None of my friends or co-workers are Muslim.
Plus, as soon as I accuse a Muslim of being a terrorist, I'm branded a racist.
-- Edited by huskerbb on Monday 7th of December 2015 04:25:20 PM
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I'm not arguing, I'm just explaining why I'm right.
Well, I could agree with you--but then we'd both be wrong.
I'm not painting a billion people as evil because they don't believe as I do. I don't trust them because they want to eliminate western civilization.
You cannot possibly know that about a billion people.
Well, the most vocal ones sure do. And the vast majority is doing noting to silence them...
I agree that the Muslim community needs to do more to police themselves. But I cannot condone the stance that says all Muslims are evil and need to die.
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LawyerLady
I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you.
I'm not painting a billion people as evil because they don't believe as I do. I don't trust them because they want to eliminate western civilization.
You cannot possibly know that about a billion people.
Oh come on. Sharia law is in compatible with western freedoms. If you can't see that, you are blind. Who do you think is shooting up people in Paris or San Bernadinao? The local chapter of Confuscians?
theres also a vast difference in the motivations of the san Bernadino killers and the guy who shot up the planned parenthood. He was trying to stop an activity--they were simply trying to kill. Doesn't make a difference I. The punishment he should get, but the motive is different. One is an aberration in society. The other is trying to destroy a society.
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I'm not arguing, I'm just explaining why I'm right.
Well, I could agree with you--but then we'd both be wrong.
I'm not painting a billion people as evil because they don't believe as I do. I don't trust them because they want to eliminate western civilization.
You cannot possibly know that about a billion people.
Well, the most vocal ones sure do. And the vast majority is doing noting to silence them...
I agree that the Muslim community needs to do more to police themselves. But I cannot condone the stance that says all Muslims are evil and need to die.
Why aren't they policing themselves? Maybe they agree?
__________________
America guarantees equal opportunity, not equal outcome...
I'm not painting a billion people as evil because they don't believe as I do. I don't trust them because they want to eliminate western civilization.
You cannot possibly know that about a billion people.
Well, the most vocal ones sure do. And the vast majority is doing noting to silence them...
I agree that the Muslim community needs to do more to police themselves. But I cannot condone the stance that says all Muslims are evil and need to die.
Why aren't they policing themselves? Maybe they agree?
Well, in the U.S., not all of them are going to know who the radicals are -they are the nice guy everybody knows, just like serial killers. I highly doubt that terrorists are advertising themselves to everyone. And for many in the middle east - it is fear, plain and simple.
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LawyerLady
I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you.
I'm not painting a billion people as evil because they don't believe as I do. I don't trust them because they want to eliminate western civilization.
You cannot possibly know that about a billion people.
Well, the most vocal ones sure do. And the vast majority is doing noting to silence them...
I agree that the Muslim community needs to do more to police themselves. But I cannot condone the stance that says all Muslims are evil and need to die.
Why aren't they policing themselves? Maybe they agree?
Well, in the U.S., not all of them are going to know who the radicals are -they are the nice guy everybody knows, just like serial killers. I highly doubt that terrorists are advertising themselves to everyone. And for many in the middle east - it is fear, plain and simple.
We thought the San bernardino killers fit that description--how'd that work out?
__________________
I'm not arguing, I'm just explaining why I'm right.
Well, I could agree with you--but then we'd both be wrong.
I'm not painting a billion people as evil because they don't believe as I do. I don't trust them because they want to eliminate western civilization.
You cannot possibly know that about a billion people.
Well, the most vocal ones sure do. And the vast majority is doing noting to silence them...
I agree that the Muslim community needs to do more to police themselves. But I cannot condone the stance that says all Muslims are evil and need to die.
Why aren't they policing themselves? Maybe they agree?
Well, in the U.S., not all of them are going to know who the radicals are -they are the nice guy everybody knows, just like serial killers. I highly doubt that terrorists are advertising themselves to everyone. And for many in the middle east - it is fear, plain and simple.
And THAT is why I don't automatically trust any of them.
__________________
A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
I'm not painting a billion people as evil because they don't believe as I do. I don't trust them because they want to eliminate western civilization.
The point of view of Dems and Obama is that if since every Muslim hasn't yet killed every American then there is nothing to worry about because most people aren't going to get killed by most Muslims. Which could apply to any evil empire, btw.
'Could you imagine FDR going before Congress and saying, "We were attacked yesterday on Pearl Harbor. I really don't want to talk about who did it, but you know, we just want to say that they were terrible people and they were thugs",' said Mike Huckabee, the former governor of Arkansas.
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America guarantees equal opportunity, not equal outcome...
Attack on one American was an attack on us all. But, the lives of those poor people in Calif are of no consequence to Obama who can just happily continue his golf game. He is a despicalbe President.