President Obama detailed his refusal to connect the terrorist Islamic State group with the term “Islamic” on Wednesday during a speech about the efforts to combat violent extremism.
In discussing his stance, Obama gave a nod to the ongoing debate and dissection within the media about whether to link ISIL and Islam.
“Leading up to this summit, there’s been a fair amount of debate in the press and among pundits about the words we use to describe and frame this challenge, so I want to be very clear about how I see it,” Obama said. “Al Qaeda and ISIL and groups like it are desperate for legitimacy. They try to portray themselves as religious leaders, holy warriors in defense of Islam. That’s why ISIL presumes to declare itself the ‘Islamic State.'”
He also noted that “we are not at war with Islam” but rather are at war with the “people who have perverted Islam.”
The President said both non-Muslims and Muslims must remember they have a responsibility in the struggle against extremism.
“Just as those of us outside Muslim communities need to reject the terrorist narrative that the West and Islam are in conflict or modern life and Islam are in conflict, I also believe that Muslim communities have a responsibility as well,” he said.
Finally, he reiterated that religions themselves aren’t the issue at play.
“The terrorists do not speak for over a billion Muslims who reject their hateful ideology,” Obama said. “No religion is responsible for terrorism. People are responsible for violence and terrorism.”
Bingo Mr. President. He always seems to be the only grownup in the room. Maybe because he is
ISIL is to Islam as Westboro Baptist Church is to Christianity.
Gee, you’d almost think the President is a brilliant man who weighs his words with tremendous care, rather than a mouth-shooting yahoo only interested in showing cowboy cred.
Sorry, but the POTUS, while I understand his reasoning, is wrong both in the most foundational sense on this one, but strategically wrong as well. The Atlantic had a very long (but very worthwhile) piece on this very issue the other day:
What ISIS Really Wants
Again, it is a long read, but very, very important for someone to put the effort into reading if they want to understand ISIL and what it is (and is not).
YES! He is right. We do not want this to become a religious war. He must choose his words “very carefully” because he is the leader of the free world. He is not a cable news pundit trying to get ratings for being the most outrageous. Thank you, Mr. President.