Obama’s infrequent use of the oval office address, (with this being his third so far) shows how significant the San Bernardino shooting is to the Obama administration. CNN’s 13-minute broadcast allowed Obama to go over the hardline facts and reinsure America of the government's efficiency in handling terrorist attacks.
Facts Given
1. The victims were brutally murdered by their fellow coworker and his wife.
2. The perpetrators were not directed by any organized domestic or international terrorist group.
3. The perpetrators clearly were acting on a radicalized perversion of Islam that calls for war against the West.
4. They stockpiled assault rifles, ammunition, and pipe bombs.
5. The combination of fact #2 and #3 qualifies this act as a textbook example of terrorism.
After discussing the basic facts he went on to highlight all the ways the government has become effective in counter-terrorism activity, both domestically and overseas. Not to any surprise, he mentioned the capture of Osama Bin Laden again for the maybe 900th time. Terrorism, he claims is fundamentally changing because of how effective the U.S. government is in deterring elaborate attacks like 9/11. The new wave of domestic terrorism has become reliant on simple mass shootings.
Recent Examples of Mass Shootings Given
1. Fort Hood, Texas (2009)
2. Chattanooga, Tennessee (2015)
And Now
3. San Bernardino, California (2015)
With the emergence of groups like ISIL (Islamic State) in the age of the internet, the distance between countries is becoming erased. Groups are able to ”poison the mind” of citizens here at home to behave in horrific ways.
What Obama Wants You to Know
1. The threat from terrorism is real, but America will overcome it.
2. We will destroy ISIL and any other similar terrorist organization that confronts us.
3. Facing this threat does include abounding our values, giving in to fear, or tough talk as this is what groups like ISIL wants us to do.
4. We will prevail by being smart, strong, resilient, relentless, and by drawing on every aspect of American power. Here's how:
a. We will continue to hunt down terrorists in any country we deem necessary. In Iraq, and Syria U.S. forces are bombing ISIL. Since the Paris attacks our close allies from Europe (United Kingdom, France, and Germany) have stepped up their military campaign contribution against groups like ISIL.
b. We will continue to train Iraq military forces opposing ISIS to eliminate “safe havens”. Special forces teams have been implemented on the ground to accelerate efforts.
c. We are working with allies to stop ISIL’s operations by cutting off plots, harming their finance, and reducing their recruiting efforts.
d. The international community has committed themselves to developing a ceasefire, and an end to the Syrian Civil War. The end of the war will be beneficial and allow all countries (throws a shot at Russia who backs Assad) to focus on eliminating the most important issue of eliminating ISIL.
Obama then went onto to explain what he has asked of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice to change as far as policy. Various other demands of Congress were made.
1. Gun Control
2. Immigration Policy Modifications
3. Congress Vote for War Against ISIL
Obama promised that this conflict will not be a repeat of 2003 and that this is not to be confused as America vs Islam. He reinsured that the greater Islamic community denounces the acts of these perverse individuals in San Bernardino. The Muslim community must, with no hesitation, oppose radicalization and American’s have duty not to discriminate based on religion.
A truly provocative speech.
