May 28, 2014

Defining the Extremist Threat

In a speech at West Point , Mr. Obama said, “For the foreseeable future, the most direct threat to America at home and abroad remains terrorism.” But he sought to distance himself from Bush-era doctrine, saying, “A strategy that involves invading every country that harbors terrorist networks is naïve and unsustainable.”

Mr. Obama emphasized that the United States would not hesitate to use military force “when our people are threatened, when our livelihood is at stake, or when the security of our allies is in danger.” Outside of those cases, he said, collective action with allies is the best way to fight terrorists, and he asked Congress for $5 billion to help train vulnerable countries to carry out operations against extremists.