Last week, President Obama made a speech explaining his strategy to "combat and destroy" the terrorist group ISIS. 

You may already have a few questions. For instance: What is 'ISIS'? Why is this a major concern to the President of the United States? What is this strategy going to involve? 

Let me breakdown the main points of this speech and why it's significant, in plain terms. 

The names ISIS, ISIL (as Pres. Obama uses), or 'the Islamic State' (as some news outlets use), all refer to the same terrorist organization. The group jumped onto the world's radar this summer, as it took advantage of Syria's Civil War and Iraq's internal strifes to further itself. The group's main goal is a 'caliphate' in the Middle East, a.k.a. a giant Islamic state. 

To clarify, very few Muslims see this group as legitimate, despite ISIS's claim that it represents all Muslims. Obama points out in his speech that most of ISIS's victims have in fact been Muslims.

If you've heard about ISIS recently, it was about the beheadings of two American journalists, James Foley and Steven Sotloff. These disgusting acts of violence are normal for this group, who is "unique in their brutality," says Obama. They have killed children and men, raped and killed women, and continue to threaten minority religious groups.

The last major point you should know about ISIS is that they recruit from around the world. Citizens from countries all over the globe have joined them, and this foreign recruiting is another reason world leaders are interested in seeing the group go down.

Before we move on, if you are interested in getting a more in-depth understanding of the horrors ISIS has caused, take a look at Humans of New York's posts when they traveled through Iraq a few weeks ago.

Okay... so now hopefully you have an idea of what ISIS is and why President Obama's speech and strategy to take ISIS down is important. 

The strategy has four parts:

1. More airstrikes. Obama says airstrikes in Iraq were successful in fighting ISIS, so they will keep doing it. Obama also said he will extend this into Syria if ISIS threatens Americans there.

2. More support on the ground. 475 "service members" (troops) will be sent to Iraq. They will be there to strengthen the people fighting on the ground's "intelligence, training, and equipment," says Obama. They will not be there to fight another Iraq war - Obama wanted this point to be clear. In Syria, the U.S. will be giving the rebels more support and resources.

3. More counterterrorism. The United States and its allies will work to cut off ISIS's funding, improve intelligence, strengthen defenses, fight against ISIS propaganda, and stop foreign recruits from going in or out of the Middle East. 

4. More humanitarian aid. Aid to all religious groups and all refugees.

This strategy will be carried out by the United States and its allies. Obama made a point of repeating that this will not involve American soldiers fighting on the ground. 

The President says, "if you threaten America, you will find no safe haven."