US & Canada

Islamic state crisis: Key quotes from Obama

US President Barack Obama has pressed his case to the American people about his plan to escalate US military action against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria.

IS controls large parts of Syria and Iraq and its fighters have become notorious for their brutality, but in recent weeks they have been subject to bombardment from US air strikes.

Here are the key quotes from Mr Obama's 15-minute address from the White House. He uses the term "Isil" to refer to IS.

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Media captionPresident Obama: 'We cannot erase every trace of evil'

Let's make two things clear: Isil is not "Islamic." No religion condones the killing of innocents, and the vast majority of Isil's victims have been Muslim. And Isil is certainly not a state.


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Media captionPresident Obama: "We will degrade and ultimately destroy" IS





I have the authority to address the threat from Isil, but I believe we are strongest as a nation when the president and Congress work together. So I welcome congressional support for this effort in order to show the world that Americans are united in confronting this danger.

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Media captionPresident Barack Obama: 'it will take time to eradicate a cancer like Isil'


This counter-terrorism campaign will be waged through a steady, relentless effort to take out Isil wherever they exist, using our air power and our support for partner forces on the ground. This strategy of taking out terrorists who threaten us, while supporting partners on the front lines, is one that we have successfully pursued in Yemen and Somalia for years.

When we helped prevent the massacre of civilians trapped on a distant mountain, here's what one of them said: "We owe our American friends our lives. Our children will always remember that there was someone who felt our struggle and made a long journey to protect innocent people." That is the difference we make in the world.

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