Obama says of terrorism threat: ‘We will overcome it’

But he did concede that the source of the terror threat to the U.S.is an “extreme ideology that has been spread through some Muslim communities”. A married couple, who might have been inspired by Islamic State, shot and killed 14 people and wounded 21 in the Southern California city of San Bernardino.

He said that so far, there was no indication that the attack was directed by a terrorist organisation overseas or that they were part of a larger conspiracy at home.

Third, when Obama called upon Americans not to define the current war as a war between the US and Islam, he ignored again that the current battle between more than 70 countries and Islamic State is a continuation of a war that started on September 11, 2001, when Al Qaeda attacked the United States.

However, Mr Obama offered a shift on the United State’s policy to confront what he called a “new phase” in the terrorist threat after a mass shooting in California.

The growing influence of ISIS in particular, which has used social media and technology to expand its reach, has changed the dynamic.

“It certainly would advance ISIL’s narrative that somehow they were acting on behalf of Islam, when in fact, the ideology that they are seeking to advance is a gross perversion of that religion”, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters at his daily news conference yesterday. “So this was an act of terrorism, created to kill innocent people”, Obama said. “That we have always met challenges, whether war or depression, natural disasters or terrorist attacks, by coming together around our common ideals as one nation and one people”. Still, he called on Muslims in the US and around the world to take up the cause of fighting extremism.

He says the USA can and must make it harder for would-be mass shooters to kill by making it harder for them to obtain guns.

After listing what the USA must do, Obama went on to list what Americans “must not do”. A no-nonsense speech from POTUS tackled the pressing issue of what to do after San Bernardino, promising that we will overcome the threat of terrorism. For over a year, I have ordered our military to take thousands of airstrikes against ISIL targets. “He has definitely been on a different track I think with that message and acknowledging that there is a significant problem within the Muslim community internationally but even here domestically is new and something he should pursue”.

Obama used an additional 131 words, roughly 7 percent of the speech, to talk about the need for stricter gun laws. “What could possibly be the argument for allowing a terrorist suspect to buy a semiautomatic weapon?”

“I know there are some who reject any gun safety measures”, he said. The White House has been particularly concerned about the heated rhetoric from Republican presidential candidates about Muslims.

“It was incredibly disappointing”, Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-KS) said of the speech. Supporters say Obama’s measured tone was chosen carefully.