President Barack Obama ordered the United States into a broad military campaign Wednesday night to “degrade and ultimately destroy” Islamic State militants, but seems to be a but confused. The army that has seized control in two volatile Middle East nations is called the Islamic State, but Obama said ‘ISIL is not Islamic nor is it a state.”
In an email in response to a request for comment, the White House sent PPD this statement:
Let’s be clear: While this group may call itself the “Islamic State,” it is not “Islamic.” No religion condones the killing of innocents, and the vast majority of ISIL’s victims have been Muslim. Nor is it a “state.” It is not recognized by any government, nor by the people it subjugates.
This is nothing but a terrorist organization with no vision or goal other than to slaughter all who stand in its way. While we have not yet detected specific plotting against our homeland, these terrorists have threatened America and our allies. And the United States will meet this threat with strength and resolve.
The effort to defeat radical Islam will no doubt take other Muslims stepping up to claim violence is not acceptable, but that remains elusive. Is it, perhaps, because they are in the minority?
