Obama: Paris terrorist attacks are a ‘setback’ and says US didn’t ‘underestimate’ ISIS
President Barack Obama on Monday conceded that the Paris terror attacks were a “terrible and sickening setback” in the fight against the Islamic State, but forcefully dismissed critics who have called for the U.S. to change or expand its military campaign against the Sunni extremists.
“There will be an intensification of the strategy that we’ve put forward, but the strategy that we are putting forward is the strategy that is ultimately is going to work,” Obama said during a news conference at the close of the G20. “It’s going to take time.”
The president grew irritated amid repeated questions about whether he had underestimated the strength of the Islamic State, which now appears to be focusing on targets outside its base in Syria and Iraq.
The President insisted that the U.S. has not “underestimated” the ISIS threat.
photo/Islamic State flag
“ISIL leaders will have no safe haven anywhere,” Obama vowed.
The president said most of his critics are simply “talking as if they’re tough” and offering no real ideas and dismissed calls for sending U.S. ground troops into the region, saying that “would be a mistake” and wouldn’t work unless the U.S. was committed to being a permanent occupying force in the region.
“This is not an abstraction,” Obama said. “When we send troops in, those troops get injured. They get killed.”
In addition to the terror attacks in Paris, the group has claimed responsibility for attacks in Lebanon and Turkey, as well as the downing of a Russian airline in Egypt.
“This is war. This is massive savagery on the part of ISIS,” Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., told Fox News on Monday. “We have to show much more of an intensity.”
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., told MSNBC “frankly I’m not overwhelmed with 20 airstrikes by the French,” while Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said “if we just drop a few bombs on these guys and that’s it, they’ll be stronger than ever.”
World leaders vowed earlier Monday in Turkey to boost intelligence-sharing, cut off terrorist funding and strengthen border security in Europe, as they sought to show resolve and unity following the deadly terror attacks in Paris.
“We agreed that the challenge can’t just be tackled with military mean, but only a multitude of measures,” German Chancellor Angela Merkel said.
British Prime Minister David Cameron also announced plans to host a donor conference early next year to raise “significant new funding” to tackle the flood of refugees spilling out of Syria.
We didn’t underestimate the J.V. team right?