Obama: Paris terrorist attacks are a ‘setback’ and says U.S. didn’t

“We play into the Isil (Isis) narrative when we act as if they are a state and we use routine military tactics that are created to fight a state that is attacking another state”.

“The strategy that we are putting forward is the strategy that is ultimately going to work”, Obama said in Turkey at the conclusion of two days of talks at the G20 Summit.

Instead, he favors a political transition in Syria that could lead to a confederational government where the US could provide special operations forces to help train opposition forces and possibly provide humanitarian relief.

According to the President, there have been 8,000 airstrikes on ISIS leaders, militants, facilities that the group controls and operates from and goods.

Late last month, USA Today reported, “FBI Director James Comey said Friday that federal authorities have an estimated 900 active investigations pending against suspected Islamic State-inspired operatives and other home-grown violent extremists across the country”. He rejected the notion that his administration had misjudged ISIS – on Friday morning, hours before the attacks in Paris, Obama had said on ABC News that “we have contained” ISIS – or that he doesn’t truly understand this enemy.

Republican lawmakers said Obama’s comments on ISIS lacked force, and they said beyond his insistence on not bringing in more ground troops, he appears to lack an overall strategy to fight the terrorist organization. Only 1,500 Syrian refugees have been accepted into the United States over the past four years and, as Obama said on Monday, those who have been allowed into the US have received extensive background checks.

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of ISIS, reportedly had planned the Paris attack in Raqqa, Syria. Total there were 129 deaths and many more injured after bomber detonated and shots were fired into crowds at restaurants and concert halls.

ISIS “is not a traditional military opponent”, Obama said. “Now is the time, not merely to contain the Islamic State, but to eradicate it once and for all”.

President Barack Obama, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Turkey and Prime Minister David Cameron of the United Kingdom observe a moment of silence for the victims of the terrorist attacks in France.

Mother Jones magazine said the passport was used by a refugee who entered Greece just six weeks ago, stoking fears that Isis members may be using the refugee crisis as cover.

The G-20 summit is a congregation of the leaders of the world’s 20 major economies.

Most of the Republican presidential campaigns have mentioned the Paris attacks on Twitter, were imperative about the need to support France and execute a swift response.

President Obama has denied these claims, saying, “Typically, the way the intelligence works is there will be a threat stream that is from one source – how reliable is that source? – perhaps some signals intelligence gets picked up”. Airstrikes and allies on the ground have taken back significant territory in both Iraq and Syria from ISIL, he noted.

He says that’s not just his view, but the view of some of his closest military and civilian advisers.

“I’m not aware of anything that is specific that would have given premonition of action in Paris”, he said.

Saying “I will do what is required to keep America safe”, he said defeating Isis would always take time and there will be setbacks, adding Paris was “a awful setback”.