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Barack Obama speech: president resists pressure for 'ground war' in response to Isis threat Barack Obama TV address: president resists pressure for 'ground war' to tackle Isis threat
(35 minutes later)
Barack Obama resisted pressure for more aggressive military response to the threat of Islamic State-inspired terrorism in a rare address to the nation from the Oval office that sought to reassure Americans following the deadly shooting in San Bernardino. Barack Obama resisted pressure for a more aggressive military response to the threat of Islamic State-inspired terrorism in a rare address to the nation that sought to reassure Americans following the deadly shooting in San Bernardino.
Acknowledging the attack was as “act of terrorism designed to kill innocent people” the president largely reiterated his existing strategy to counter Isis in Iraq and Syria through a mix of air support, assistance to local forces and special forces. Acknowledging the attack was an “act of terrorism designed to kill innocent people” the president largely reiterated his existing strategy to counter Isis in Iraq and Syria through a mix of air attacks, assistance to local forces and special forces.
“We should not be drawn once more into a long and costly ground war in iraq or Syria; that’s what groups like Isil want,” he said. “We should not be drawn once more into a long and costly ground war in Iraq or Syria; that’s what groups like Isil want,” he said, using an alternative term for Isis.
More details soon ... Related: 'Degrade and destroy': a look back at Obama's evolution on Isis
“They know that if we occupy foreign lands they can maintain an insurgency for years, killing thousands of our troops and using our presence to draw new recruits,” he said.
But the president insisted that his current mix of policies would destroy Isis and the threat from terrorism.
“We will prevail by being strong and smart,” he said, in comments directed at loud voices in American politics calling for more aggressive response.
Obama also reiterated his call for Congress to take steps to curb access to assault weapons in the United States, saying gun control had become a “national security issue”.
In particular, he pushed lawmakers to ban gun sales for those already on a terrorist no-fly list and announced a new review of visa-waiver rules for those entering the US.
Related: San Bernardino shooter's alleged Isis link: Obama's worst political nightmare
The short speech was only the third time in the seven years of his presidency he has used the Oval office for a prime-time address to the nation in a format usually reserved for the most solemn national occasions.
The Obamas postponed a planned trip to a concert at the Kennedy Center that had been planned later on Sunday.
The White House announced the address after mounting pressure for Obama to respond to new developments in the San Bernardino investigation, that had revealed how the shooters had been radicalised and inspired by international groups, though not seemingly directly by them.
“As the internet erases the distance between countries, we see growing efforts by terrorists to poison the minds of people like the Boston bombers and the San Bernardino shooters,” said Obama.