9:55 p.m. EST December 6, 2015 WASHINGTON — President Obama sought to reassure the nation about his response to terrorism Sunday night, saying the terrorist threat has "evolved into a new phase" of attacks hatched at home by extremists "poisoning the minds" of killers already on American soil.
"The threat from terrorism is real, but we will overcome it. We will destroy ISIL and any other organization that tries to harm us," Obama said. "Our success won't depend on tough talk, or abandoning our values or giving into fear. That's what groups like ISIL are hoping for. Instead, we will prevail by being strong and smart, resilient and relentless. And by drawing upon every aspect of American power."
The speech from a podium in the Oval Office was just the third prime-time address from his inner office in Obama's presidency. It came three weeks after a terrorist attack in Paris killed 130 people and four days after husband-and-wife shooters — apparently inspired by a similar ideology — killed 14 at a California holiday party.
In a 13-minute prime-time televised address, Obama called on Americans not to allow fear to fear dictate the response the San Bernardino shootings last week, which he called an "act of terrorism, designed to kill innocent people.” He said the FBI has no evidence that the killers were directed by terrorist overseas or were part of a broader conspiracy.
But he said the terrorist threat had evolved since 2001, with the lone-wolf Fort Hood shooters, brother Boston Marathon bombers and husband-and-wife San Bernardino killers inspired — but not necessarily directed — by the extremist ideology of the Islamic State, also known as ISIL, and similar groups.
Obama did not announce any new policies or strategies, and he continues to oppose any large-scale ground troop presence in Syria or Iraq, where the ISIL has its stronghold.
But he said the United States has been ramping up its campaign against the Islamic State over the past few weeks, as more special forces troops have been dispatched to advise and assist Syrian opposition forces and Iraqi forces and air strikes after Islamic State targets and tanker trucks. "For seven years, I've confronted this evolving threat each and every morning in my intelligence briefing, and since the day I took this office, I have authorized U.S. forces to take out terrorists abroad precisely because I know how real the danger is," he said.
Since the San Bernardino attacks, Obama has also put an emphasis on combating the extremist ideology that has inspired terrorist attacks by enlisting the help of the Muslim-American community to provide an alternative. "We must enlist Muslim communities as some of our strongest allies, rather than pushing them away through suspicion and hate," Obama said.
"We cannot turn against one another by letting this fight be defined as a war between America and Islam. That, too, is what groups like ISIL want," he said. "ISIL does not speak for Islam. They are thugs and killers, part of a cult of death."
Obama has also asked Congress to approve an new use-of-force authorization that would update the global war-on-terror resolution Congress first approved in 2001. He submitted the request last year, but Congress has not acted. He also proposed specific changes in the visa program, which he said allowed the female shooter in San Bernardino into the country.
