Obama: Terror threat against US has entered ‘new phase’

“It is entirely possible that these two attackers were radicalized to commit this act of terror”, the president said in his weekly address on Saturday. He said the Islamic State group is rapidly expanding its influence around the world. Instead, we will prevail by being strong and smart.

Obama renewed his plea for Congress to pass tougher gun control measures, including one that would bar people on the so-called no-fly list buying guns and making it harder for people to buy assault weapons.

Obama’s remarks were part of a prime-time address on the threat of terrorism and the fight against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria.

President Barack Obama spoke for about 13 minutes in his third speech from the Oval Office.

The Obamas postponed a planned trip to a concert at the Kennedy Center that had been planned later on Sunday. “And, yes, they are our men and women in uniform willing to die for in defense of our country”, Obama said.

Obama also said that the battle against terrorism can not be fought by targeting law-abiding Muslims in the U.S. The president seeks to deny Islamic State any safe havens, Obama said in the speech, noting the increased tempo of US-led coalition airstrikes against targets in Syria and Iraq.

“The threat from terrorism is real but we will overcome it”, Obama said in a nationally televised speech.

Obama says Muslims can send credible, effective counter messages and undermine jihadist propaganda.

“We will destroy ISIL”, the president promised, using another acronym for ISIS, by ramping up intelligence sharing among allies, continuing the bombing campaign against ISIS, and working global diplomatic levers to hammer out a cease fire agreement in Syria to bring the civil war to an end.

Act of terrorThe young Muslim couple who mounted the California attack “had gone down the dark path of radicalisation, embracing a perverted interpretation of Islam that calls for war against America and the West”.

Also on “Meet the Press“, Republican candidate Sen.

The visa-waiver program, which Obama mistakenly referenced, allows foreign individuals to come to the USA for 90 days without a visa for travel purposes if they meet certain requirements.

“Let us not forget what makes us exceptional, let us not forget that freedom is more powerful than fear”, Obama said. ISIL does not speak for Islam. He asserted the San Bernardino attack was inspired by ISIS, as the group is moreover called, yet in that so far the attack does not appear connected to a larger terror network.

“The President tonight continued his failure of leadership and his outrageous quest to turn a necessary discussion on terrorism and national security into an unnecessary and ineffective gun control debate”.