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Obama Discusses Difficulty of Detecting Terrorism at Year-End Conference | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
WASHINGTON — At the end of a week in which he has sought to demonstrate his commitment to fighting terrorism at home and abroad, President Obama on Friday acknowledged that some terrorist plots — such as those by a husband and wife or lone wolf — are difficult to detect and prevent. | |
“Here essentially you have ISIL trying to encourage or induce somebody who may be prey to this kind of propaganda,” Mr. Obama said of the kind of attackers who killed 14 people in San Bernardino, Calif. “And it becomes more difficult to see.” | |
Speaking to reporters before leaving for a two-week vacation in Hawaii, Mr. Obama said that visitors and immigrants seeking visas already face scrutiny for any social media posts that are publicly available, such as those made on Facebook. But he said that detecting posts on applications that are not available to the public is difficult and may not be appropriate. | |
“Keep in mind it was only a couple of years ago we were having a major debate about whether government was becoming too much like Big Brother,” Mr. Obama said. | |
On his way to Hawaii Friday night, the president plans to stop in California to visit with families of those killed in the terror attacks in San Bernardino. | |
Mr. Obama opened the news conference asserting that “steady, persistent work over the years” by his administration had delivered economic and foreign policy successes, making the American people more secure at home and abroad. He cited economic improvement over the past year, legislative progress in Congress, and diplomatic deals on climate, Iran’s nuclear program, and Cuba. | |
“I just want to point out I said at the beginning of this year that interesting stuff happens in the fourth quarter,” Mr. Obama said. “And we are only halfway through.” | |
Mr. Obama vowed to not become a lame-duck president during his last year in office, adding: “I plan on doing everything I can with every minute of every day I have left as president.” | |
The president’s news conference also comes as Congress gave final approval Friday morning to a $1.15 trillion spending measure that both parties hailed as a return to the kind of budget compromises that have been missing in recent years. | The president’s news conference also comes as Congress gave final approval Friday morning to a $1.15 trillion spending measure that both parties hailed as a return to the kind of budget compromises that have been missing in recent years. |
Mr. Obama has said he intends to sign the measure, which increases spending and makes permanent business tax breaks in exchange for tax credits championed by the president that are devised to help millions of people, including children, fight their way out of poverty. | Mr. Obama has said he intends to sign the measure, which increases spending and makes permanent business tax breaks in exchange for tax credits championed by the president that are devised to help millions of people, including children, fight their way out of poverty. |
At the White House, the president’s top advisers said the budget deal capped a productive year that defied predictions of Mr. Obama’s lame-duck status and the Democratic Party’s clobbering in midterm elections at the end of 2014. | At the White House, the president’s top advisers said the budget deal capped a productive year that defied predictions of Mr. Obama’s lame-duck status and the Democratic Party’s clobbering in midterm elections at the end of 2014. |
In 2015, Mr. Obama sealed a controversial deal with Iran to contain that country’s nuclear program, negotiated a free-trade agreement with a dozen Pacific Rim nations, and concluded a global climate change pact with most countries in the world. | In 2015, Mr. Obama sealed a controversial deal with Iran to contain that country’s nuclear program, negotiated a free-trade agreement with a dozen Pacific Rim nations, and concluded a global climate change pact with most countries in the world. |
At home, he beat back legal challenges to the Affordable Care Act, reached agreement with Republicans on an overhaul of national education standards and helped resolve a long-simmering dispute over how to finance transportation construction. | At home, he beat back legal challenges to the Affordable Care Act, reached agreement with Republicans on an overhaul of national education standards and helped resolve a long-simmering dispute over how to finance transportation construction. |
Those accomplishments have been overshadowed in recent weeks amid growing concern in the United States about the threat of terrorism. Mr. Obama’s approval ratings have slid recently as that issue has overtaken the economy as the central concern for most Americans. | Those accomplishments have been overshadowed in recent weeks amid growing concern in the United States about the threat of terrorism. Mr. Obama’s approval ratings have slid recently as that issue has overtaken the economy as the central concern for most Americans. |
Mr. Obama delivered an address to the nation on terrorism from the Oval Office on Dec. 6. He spoke again at the Pentagon after chairing a meeting of his National Security Council to discuss the campaign against the Islamic State. And he delivered remarks on Thursday after receiving a threat briefing at the National Counterterrorism Center. | Mr. Obama delivered an address to the nation on terrorism from the Oval Office on Dec. 6. He spoke again at the Pentagon after chairing a meeting of his National Security Council to discuss the campaign against the Islamic State. And he delivered remarks on Thursday after receiving a threat briefing at the National Counterterrorism Center. |