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Under Fire From G.O.P., Obama Defends Response to Terror Attacks Under Fire From G.O.P., Obama Defends Response to Terror Attacks
(about 3 hours later)
WASHINGTON — President Obama, seeking to counter pressure for a military escalation in response to terrorist attacks, told a group of news columnists this week that sending significant ground forces back to the Middle East could result in the deaths of 100 American soldiers every month. WASHINGTON — President Obama, seeking to counter pressure for a military escalation in response to terrorist attacks, told a group of news columnists this week that sending significant ground forces back to the Middle East could conceivably result in the deaths of 100 American soldiers every month.
In a private session at the White House, Mr. Obama explained that his refusal to redeploy large numbers of troops to the region was rooted in the grim assumption that the casualties and costs would rival the worst of the Iraq war. Such a renewed commitment, he said, could require up to $10 billion a month and leave as many as 500 troops injured every month in addition to those killed. In a private session at the White House, Mr. Obama explained that his refusal to redeploy large numbers of troops to the region was rooted in the grim assumption that the casualties and costs would rival the worst of the Iraq war. Such a renewed commitment, he said, could require up to $10 billion a month and leave as many as 500 troops wounded every month in addition to those killed, a toll he deemed not commensurate to the threat.
Mr. Obama said that if he did send troops to Syria, as some Republicans have urged, he feared a slippery slope that would eventually require similar deployments to other terrorist strongholds like Libya and Yemen, effectively putting him in charge of governing much of the region. He told the columnists that he envisioned sending significant ground forces to the Middle East only in the case of a catastrophic terrorist attack that disrupted the normal functioning of the United States.Mr. Obama said that if he did send troops to Syria, as some Republicans have urged, he feared a slippery slope that would eventually require similar deployments to other terrorist strongholds like Libya and Yemen, effectively putting him in charge of governing much of the region. He told the columnists that he envisioned sending significant ground forces to the Middle East only in the case of a catastrophic terrorist attack that disrupted the normal functioning of the United States.
But Mr. Obama said he now realizes that he was slow to respond to public fears after terrorist attacks in Paris and California, acknowledging that his low-key approach led Americans to worry that he was not doing enough to keep the country safe. He has engaged in a blitz of public events lately to try to convince them otherwise, including a visit on Thursday to the National Counterterrorism Center.But Mr. Obama said he now realizes that he was slow to respond to public fears after terrorist attacks in Paris and California, acknowledging that his low-key approach led Americans to worry that he was not doing enough to keep the country safe. He has engaged in a blitz of public events lately to try to convince them otherwise, including a visit on Thursday to the National Counterterrorism Center.
The session with columnists was off the record, but the president’s remarks were recounted on Thursday by several people in the room after one of the writers, David Ignatius of The Washington Post, described some of the president’s thinking in a column without attributing it directly to Mr. Obama.The session with columnists was off the record, but the president’s remarks were recounted on Thursday by several people in the room after one of the writers, David Ignatius of The Washington Post, described some of the president’s thinking in a column without attributing it directly to Mr. Obama.
Mr. Obama’s defense of his approach came as Republican presidential candidates have been branding him as weak and competing in their calls for more robust action to combat the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. In Tuesday night’s Republican debate, Donald J. Trump said even the families of terrorists should be killed, Senator Ted Cruz of Texas proposed to “carpet bomb” Islamic State holdouts despite the risk of civilian casualties, and Ben Carson argued for sending ground troops.Mr. Obama’s defense of his approach came as Republican presidential candidates have been branding him as weak and competing in their calls for more robust action to combat the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. In Tuesday night’s Republican debate, Donald J. Trump said even the families of terrorists should be killed, Senator Ted Cruz of Texas proposed to “carpet bomb” Islamic State holdouts despite the risk of civilian casualties, and Ben Carson argued for sending ground troops.
Mr. Obama made his comments during a nearly two-hour meeting with the columnists and other opinion writers on Tuesday afternoon, about 10 in all, just hours before the debate and when his frustration with Republican criticism was evident. He appeared especially exasperated with Mr. Trump, who has called for a temporary ban on Muslims’ entering the United States. Mr. Obama told the columnists that Mr. Trump’s comments on Muslims did not make him an outlier in the presidential field, but instead represented the culmination of many years of a Republican strategy of division and fear mongering. Mr. Obama made his comments during a nearly two-hour meeting with the columnists and other opinion writers on Tuesday afternoon, about 10 in all, just hours before the debate and when his frustration with Republican criticism was evident. He appeared especially exasperated with Mr. Trump, who has called for a temporary ban on Muslims’ entering the United States. Mr. Obama said that Mr. Trump’s comments on Muslims did not make him an outlier in the presidential field, but instead represented the culmination of many years of a Republican strategy of division and fear mongering.
The people in the room who described the president’s comments asked for anonymity because of the ground rules of the meeting. Among those attending the session in the Roosevelt Room of the White House were an opinion columnist and an editorial writer for The New York Times, but they were not sources for this article.The people in the room who described the president’s comments asked for anonymity because of the ground rules of the meeting. Among those attending the session in the Roosevelt Room of the White House were an opinion columnist and an editorial writer for The New York Times, but they were not sources for this article.
Mr. Obama is struggling to fashion a message that reassures Americans that he is serious about battling the threat of the Islamic State while also avoiding what he considers the alarmism voiced by some Republican presidential candidates. Polls suggest that many Americans believe he is not taking the threat from the Islamic State seriously enough.Mr. Obama is struggling to fashion a message that reassures Americans that he is serious about battling the threat of the Islamic State while also avoiding what he considers the alarmism voiced by some Republican presidential candidates. Polls suggest that many Americans believe he is not taking the threat from the Islamic State seriously enough.
To counter that, Mr. Obama visited the National Counterterrorism Center on Thursday, following a similar trip to the Pentagon earlier in the week and an Oval Office address to the nation last week. He is trying to make the case that his administration is succeeding in its fight against terrorism and the Islamic State, but even some members of his own party are grumbling that he needs a new strategy.To counter that, Mr. Obama visited the National Counterterrorism Center on Thursday, following a similar trip to the Pentagon earlier in the week and an Oval Office address to the nation last week. He is trying to make the case that his administration is succeeding in its fight against terrorism and the Islamic State, but even some members of his own party are grumbling that he needs a new strategy.
With a phalanx of top intelligence and law enforcement officials behind him, Mr. Obama said that it was “understandable” that Americans were concerned, but that they should be reassured. “Here’s what I want every American to know — since 9/11 we’ve taken extraordinary steps to strengthen our homeland security,” he said. Mr. Obama said that it was “understandable” that Americans were concerned, but that they should be reassured. “Here’s what I want every American to know — since 9/11 we’ve taken extraordinary steps to strengthen our homeland security,” he said.
Mr. Obama emphasized again that vigilance against terrorism should not lead Americans to sacrifice values that define the nation — a direct response to remarks from the Republican campaigns. Mr. Obama emphasized again that vigilance against terrorism should not lead Americans to sacrifice values that define the nation — a direct response to remarks from Republicans.
“We have to remind ourselves that when we stay true to our values, nothing can defeat us,” Mr. Obama said, adding: “We’ve prevailed over much greater threats than this. We will prevail again.”“We have to remind ourselves that when we stay true to our values, nothing can defeat us,” Mr. Obama said, adding: “We’ve prevailed over much greater threats than this. We will prevail again.”
In a briefing at the counterterrorism center, nearly all of Mr. Obama’s top military, intelligence and security officials were in attendance, including Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr.; Secretary of State John Kerry; Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch; James B. Comey, the director of the F.B.I.; and James R. Clapper Jr., the director of national intelligence. The president generally receives such updates in the Situation Room in the White House, but wanted to send a message by visiting the counterterrorism center.In a briefing at the counterterrorism center, nearly all of Mr. Obama’s top military, intelligence and security officials were in attendance, including Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr.; Secretary of State John Kerry; Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch; James B. Comey, the director of the F.B.I.; and James R. Clapper Jr., the director of national intelligence. The president generally receives such updates in the Situation Room in the White House, but wanted to send a message by visiting the counterterrorism center.
Mr. Obama said that presently there is no “specific and credible information about an attack on the homeland,” although he added that Americans should remain vigilant. Mr. Obama said that there is no “specific and credible information about an attack on the homeland,” although he added that Americans should remain vigilant.
He claimed progress in pushing back the Islamic State, also called ISIS or ISIL, through a strategy of airstrikes combined with Special Operations raids and support for local forces on the ground. He noted that airstrikes have killed Islamic State leaders as far away as Libya while shrinking the territory the group controls in Syria and Iraq. Addressing the homegrown threat, as seen in San Bernardino, Calif., he said the United States was changing visa rules and stepping up coordination with state and local police. Mr. Obama claimed progress in pushing back the Islamic State, also called ISIS or ISIL, through a strategy of airstrikes combined with Special Operations raids and support for local forces on the ground. He noted that airstrikes have killed Islamic State leaders as far away as Libya while shrinking the territory the group controls in Syria and Iraq. Addressing the homegrown threat, as seen in San Bernardino, Calif., he said the United States was changing visa rules and stepping up coordination with the state and local police.
“So we’re sending a message: If you target Americans, you will have no safe haven,” Mr. Obama said. “So we’re sending a message: If you target Americans, you will have no safe haven,” he said.
Mr. Obama is set to leave on Friday for two weeks in Hawaii and will stop on the way in San Bernardino to meet privately with the families of the 14 victims of the attack there on Dec. 2.Mr. Obama is set to leave on Friday for two weeks in Hawaii and will stop on the way in San Bernardino to meet privately with the families of the 14 victims of the attack there on Dec. 2.
In Mr. Obama’s absence, White House officials are concerned by the void that is likely to be filled by his critics and by what they call the overheated claims of Republicans who can afford to be bellicose without the responsibilities of the commander in chief.In Mr. Obama’s absence, White House officials are concerned by the void that is likely to be filled by his critics and by what they call the overheated claims of Republicans who can afford to be bellicose without the responsibilities of the commander in chief.
Mr. Cruz, for example, has said that the United States should “carpet bomb ISIS into oblivion,” testing whether “sand can glow in the dark.” In this week’s debate, he explained that he did not intend for civilians to be targeted in carpet bombing, a rarely used strategy that can lead to mass civilian casualties. Mr. Cruz, for example, has said that the United States should “carpet bomb ISIS into oblivion,” testing whether “sand can glow in the dark.” In this week’s debate, he explained that he did not intend for civilians to be targeted in carpet-bombing, a rarely used strategy of extensive and indiscriminate strikes that can lead to mass civilian casualties.
Military experts argue about the ethics and legality of carpet-bombing, but the notion of doing so with precision, as Mr. Cruz suggests, is widely seen as paradoxical. But he repeated on Thursday his vow to destroy the Islamic State if elected president. Military experts argue about the ethics and legality of carpet-bombing, but the notion of doing so with precision, as Mr. Cruz suggests, is widely seen as paradoxical. But he repeated on Thursday his vow to destroy the Islamic State if elected president. “We will have a commander in chief who makes clear that the object is not to weaken, it’s not to degrade, it is to utterly destroy,” he told supporters in Las Vegas.
“We will have a commander in chief who makes clear that the object is not to weaken, it’s not to degrade, it is to utterly destroy,” he told supporters in Las Vegas. Mr. Obama argued that while there were potentially threats that would merit the kind of investment of lives and money equivalent to that made in the Iraq war, the Islamic State does not pose an existential threat to the United States and therefore the response should be measured. The United States needs to take on the group, in part to defend allies in the region, he said, but it should not be an all-out war.
In his meeting with the columnists, Mr. Obama indicated that he did not see enough cable television to fully appreciate the anxiety after the attacks in Paris and San Bernardino, and made clear that he plans to step up his public arguments. Republicans were telling Americans that he is not doing anything when he is doing a lot, he said. Moreover, he added, part of the group’s strategy is to draw the United States into a broader military entanglement in the region. A sustained but limited campaign may be slow and politically unsatisfying, but ultimately will be more successful, he contended.
He spent part of the conversation expressing pique at Republicans. For all of the attention paid to Mr. Trump, he said, the ideas that the Republican candidates are promoting have been part of a longer-term strategy of the party. And they have been successful to a point, Mr. Obama added, noting that many Americans believe he is a Muslim who was not born in the United States. He also expressed pique at Republicans. For all of the attention paid to Mr. Trump, he said, the ideas that the Republican candidates are promoting have been part of a longer-term strategy of the party. And they have been successful to a point, Mr. Obama added, noting that many Americans believe he is a Muslim who was not born in the United States.