We will destroy IS: Obama

The United States and its coalition allies would ultimately destroy the Islamic State (IS), but the world should not show fear of terrorism, Obama said at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur at a summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations or ASEAN. “We are going to keep on rolling back ISIL in Iraq and in Syria, and take out more of their leaders and commanders so that they do not threaten us”, Obama said, using another acronym for the Islamic State. “The most powerful tool we have to fight ISIL is to say that we’re not afraid”. He said he has left it up to the inspector general to determine what has happened.

Facing accusations that he has allowed the Islamic State group to spread by refusing to send U.S. troops to Syria or step up the air campaign there, Obama made his most determined pledge yet to win the fight.

Obama says he told Russian President Vladimir Putin during a recent conversation that he needs to target those who killed Russian citizens.

Obama said the youngsters “represent the opposite of terror, the opposite of the type of despicable violence we saw in Mali and Paris”.

The French seem to be groping for a course that would increase pressure on Islamic State, while stopping short of the major military escalation that Obama has ruled out.

But even after three global summits in Turkey, the Philippines and Malaysia, the president had no new strategies for dealing with the so-called Islamic State, and few tangible new commitments from worldwide partners.

What’s more, the process by which Syrian refugees are screened for entry to the United States is extremely rigorous – and includes significant investigation into their potential involvement with or allegiance to terrorist groups. And there have been people throughout human history who can find an excuse to kill people because they don’t think like them or look like them.

Both U.S. Senators from IN, Republican Dan Coats and Democrat Joe Donnelly, have said pausing the Syrian refugee program is needed.

So for example, their number one financier was a terrorist name Abu Sayyaf, we did a Special Forces raid into Syria, about six months ago, we collected more information off of that site than any Special Forces raid in history, and from there we’ve been working with the coalition partners and with the Iraqis to really cut into their finances. The White House has insisted there will be no change in plans.

The president has since softened his tone.

The USA campaign has centered largely on launching airstrikes, while training and assisting security forces on the ground in Iraq. Ahead of Obama’s visit, Human Rights Watch said Aquino’s government had detained hundreds of homeless people without charges to clean up the city for visiting leaders. “We’re a nation that can’t be cowed by evil-doers”. He also pointed out that it was important for Americans to gather in large places like Times Square despite terror warnings.

The Obama administration had said it wanted the U.S.to accept at least 10,000 Syrian refugees in the next year.

Obama brought up the 9/11 analogy when he answered questions at a news conference Sunday.

The Paris attacks have heightened fears of terrorism in the west and also sparked a debate in the United States about accepting refugees from Syria.