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President Obama
Defeating ISIS Is Our Top Priority
According to WSJ Live, 3/23/2016 1:45PM President Obama reiterated his vow to defeat Islamic State, saying there is "no more important item on my agenda." He said the U.S. must also avoid actions that fuel ISIS recruiting, in comments during a press conference in Argentina. Photo: Getty. On March 22nd, 2016, In the bombings in Belgium, Brussels Airport, 34 people, including three suicide bombers, were killed, and 300 others were injured, 61 critically. Thirteen died at Brussels Airport, while the remaining 21 died at the metro station. Eighty-one others were injured at the airport, while the rest were injured at the metro station. The bombings were the deadliest act of terrorism in Belgium's history. The identification of victims proceeds slowly, especially because of the high number of nationalities involved; at least 40 according to the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Belgium is an active participant in the ongoing military intervention against ISIL during the Iraqi Civil War. Proportional to its population, Belgium has the highest number of fighters to Syria of any Western European country, with an estimated 440 having left for Syria and Iraq as of January 2015. Belgium has been described as a "hotbed of jihadist ideology" ,and a "jihadist-recruiting hub. Before the bombings, several Islamist terrorist attacks had originated from Belgium, and a number of counter-terrorist operations had been carried out there. In May 2014, a gunman with ties to the war in Syria attacked the Jewish Museum of Belgium in Brussels, killing four. In January 2015, anti-terrorist operations conducted against a group thought to be planning a second Charlie Hebdo shooting included actions in Brussels and Zaventem. The operation resulted in the deaths of two suspects. In August 2015, a suspected terrorist committed a shooting and stabbing attack aboard a Thalys train travelling from Amsterdam to Paris via Brussels, before he was subdued by passengers. The assailants involved in the November 2015 Paris attacks were based in Molenbeek, and Brussels was locked down for five days to allow police to search for suspects. On 18 March 2016, Salah Abdeslam, a suspected accomplice in the aforementioned Paris attacks, was captured in two anti-terrorist raids in Molenbeek that killed another suspect and injured two others. At least one other suspect remains at large. Belgian investigators believe that Abdeslam's arrest may have hastened planning for the bombings. According to Belgian Interior Minister Jan Jambon, who spoke after the bombings, authorities were aware of preparations for an extremist act in Europe, but added that they underestimated the scale of the attack. Shortly after the news of explosions, Israel banned incoming flights from Europe for the rest of the day. The UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office said that the Belgian authorities are currently advising against travel to Brussels. Officials at the US Embassy in Brussels issued a notice in which they warned of the possibility of more attacks occurring and recommended "sheltering in place and avoiding all public transportation". Additional police were deployed to the Belgian border with the Netherlands. Security was increased, particularly at airports and other transport hubs, in countries such as Denmark, France, Greece,Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, Germany, the Philippines, the United Kingdom, and the United States Number of countries, national leaders and international organizations expressed comments or lit monuments in reaction to the 2016 Brussels bombings.The bombings were the deadliest act of terrorism in Belgium's history. The Belgian government declared three days of national mourning.
per wikipedia, Syrias Diplomates are all over the world which those countries are: Africa: Algeria Algiers (Embassy) Egypt Cairo (Embassy) Libya Tripoli (Embassy) Benghazi (Consulate-General) Mauritania Nouakchott (Embassy) Morocco Rabat (Embassy) Nigeria Lagos (Embassy) Senegal Dakar (Embassy) South Africa Pretoria (Embassy) Sudan Khartoum (Embassy) Tanzania Dar es Salaam (Embassy) Tunisia Tunis (Embassy) Americas: Embassy of Syria in Washington, D.C. Argentina Buenos Aires (Embassy) Brazil Brasília (Embassy) São Paulo (Consulate-General) Canada Ottawa (Embassy) Montreal (Consulate-General) Chile Santiago (Embassy) Cuba Havana (Embassy) United States Washington, D.C. (Embassy) Embassy operations currently suspended Venezuela Caracas (Embassy) Asia: Embassy of Syria in Tokyo Afghanistan Kabul (Embassy) Armenia Yerevan (Embassy) Bahrain Manama (Embassy) China Beijing (Embassy) India New Delhi (Embassy) Indonesia Jakarta (Embassy) Iran Tehran (Embassy) Isfahan (Consulate-General) Iraq Baghdad (Embassy) Mosul (Consulate-General) Japan Tokyo (Embassy) Jordan Amman (Embassy) Kuwait Kuwait City (Embassy) Lebanon Beirut (Embassy) Malaysia Kuala Lumpur (Embassy) North Korea Pyongyang (Embassy) Oman Muscat (Embassy) Pakistan Islamabad (Embassy) Lahore (Consulate-General) Karachi (Consulate-General) Qatar Doha (Embassy) Saudi Arabia Riyadh (Embassy) (Closed in 2012) Jeddah (Consulate-General) (Closed in 2012) Turkey Ankara (Embassy) Gaziantep (Consulate-General) Istanbul (Consulate-General) United Arab Emirates Abu Dhabi (Embassy) Dubai (Consulate-General) Yemen San‘a’ (Embassy) Europe: Embassy of Syria in Berlin Embassy of Syria in Prague Embassy of Syria in Moscow Embassy of Syria in Warsaw Albania Tirana (Embassy) Austria Vienna (Embassy) Belgium Brussels (Embassy) Bulgaria Sofia (Embassy) Cyprus Nicosia (Embassy) Czech Republic Prague (Embassy) France Paris (Embassy) Marseille (Consulate-General) Germany Berlin (Embassy) Hamburg (Consulate-General) Greece Athens (Embassy) Hungary Budapest (Embassy) Italy Rome (Embassy) The Netherlands The Hague (Embassy) Poland Warsaw (Embassy) Romania Bucharest (Embassy) Russia Moscow (Embassy) Serbia Belgrade (Embassy) Spain Madrid (Embassy) Sweden Stockholm (Embassy) Switzerland Berne (Embassy) Geneva (Consulate-General) Ukraine Kiev (Embassy) United Kingdom London (Embassy) |
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Sources: CCTVAfrica, CCTV TrendVideoCheck, White House, Wikipedia, Yahoo, WJS Live, AP, AFP, ABC news and |
Remarks by the President on
the Military Campaign to Destroy ISIL
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For Immediate Release |
December 14, 2015 |
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The Pentagon 12:47 P.M. ESTP.M. EDT I just had a chance to meet with my National Security Council as part of our regular effort to review and constantly strengthen our efforts. And I want to thank Secretary Carter, Chairman Dunford, and Vice Chairman Selva for hosting us and for their leadership of our men and women in uniform. We heard from General Austin, who is leading the military campaign in the region, as well as General Votel, whose Special Operations forces are playing a vital role in this fight. I want to provide all of you a brief update on our progress against the ISIL core in Syria and Iraq, because as we squeeze its heart, we’ll make it harder for ISIL to pump its terror and propaganda to the rest of the world. This fall, even before the revolting attacks in Paris and San Bernardino, I ordered new actions to intensify our war against ISIL. These actions, including more firepower and Special Operations forces, are well underway. This continues to be a difficult fight. As I said before, ISIL is dug in, including in urban areas, and they hide behind civilians, using defenseless men, women and children as human shields. So even as we’re relentless, we have to be smart, targeting ISIL surgically, with precision. At the same time, our partners on the ground are rooting ISIL out, town by town, neighborhood by neighborhood, block by block. That is what this campaign is doing. We are hitting ISIL harder than ever. Coalition aircraft -- our fighters, bombers and drones -- have been increasing the pace of airstrikes -- nearly 9,000 as of today. Last month, in November, we dropped more bombs on ISIL targets than any other month since this campaign started. We’re also taking out ISIL leaders, commanders and killers, one by one. Since this spring, we’ve removed Abu Sayyaf, one of their top leaders; Haji Mutazz, ISIL’s second-in command; Junaid Hussain, a top online recruiter; Mohamed Emwazi, who brutally murdered Americans and others; and in recent weeks, finance chief Abu Saleh; senior extortionist Abu Maryam; and weapons trafficker Abu Rahman al-Tunisi. The list goes on. We’re going after ISIL from their stronghold right down -- right in downtown Raqqa, to Libya, where we took out Abu Nabil, the ISIL leader there. The point is, ISIL leaders cannot hide. And our next message to them is simple: You are next. Every day, we destroy as well more of ISIL’s forces -- their fighting positions, bunkers and staging areas; their heavy weapons, bomb-making factories, compounds and training camps. In many places, ISIL has lost its freedom of maneuver, because they know if they mass their forces, we will wipe them out. In fact, since the summer, ISIL has not had a single successful major offensive operation on the ground in either Syria or Iraq. In recent weeks, we’ve unleashed a new wave of strikes on their lifeline, their oil infrastructure, destroying hundreds of their tanker trucks, wells and refineries. And we’re going to keep on hammering those. ISIL also continues to lose territory in Iraq. ISIL had already lost across Kirkuk province and at Tikrit. More recently, ISIL lost at Sinjar, losing a strategic highway. ISIL lost at Baiji, with its oil refinery. We saw the daring raid supported by our Special Forces, which rescued dozens of prisoners from ISIL, and in which Master Sergeant Joshua Wheeler made the ultimate sacrifice. So far, ISIL has lost about 40 percent of the populated areas it once controlled in Iraq. And it will lose more. Iraqi forces are now fighting their way deeper into Ramadi. They’re working to encircle Fallujah and cut off ISIL supply routes into Mosul. Again, these are urban areas where ISIL is entrenched. Our partners on the ground face a very tough fight ahead, and we’re going to continue to back them up with the support that they need to ultimately clear ISIL from Iraq. ISIL also continues to lose territory in Syria. We continue to step up our air support and supplies to local forces -- Syrian Kurds, Arabs, Christians, Turkmen -- and they’re having success. After routing ISIL at Kobani and Tal Abyad, they’ve pushed ISIL back from almost across the entire border region with Turkey, and we’re working with Turkey to seal the rest. ISIL has lost thousands of square miles of territory it once controlled in Syria -- and it will lose more. The Special Forces that I ordered to Syria have begun supporting local forces as they push south, cut off supply lines and tighten the squeeze on Raqqa. Meanwhile, more people are seeing ISIL for the thugs and the thieves and the killers that they are. We’ve seen instances of ISIL fighters defecting. Others who’ve tried to escape have been executed. And ISIL’s reign of brutality and extortion continues to repel local populations and help fuel the refugee crisis. “So many people are migrating,” said one Syrian refugee. ISIL, she said, will “end up all alone.” All this said, we recognize that progress needs to keep coming faster. No one knows that more than the countless Syrians and Iraqis living every day under ISIL’s terror, as well as the families in San Bernardino and Paris and elsewhere who are grieving the loss of their loved ones. Just as the United States is doing more in this fight -- just as our allies France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, Australia and Italy are doing more -- so must others. And that’s why I’ve asked Secretary Carter to go to the Middle East -- he’ll depart right after this press briefing -- to work with our coalition partners on securing more military contributions to this fight. On the diplomatic front, Secretary Kerry will be in Russia tomorrow as we continue to work, as part of the Vienna process, to end the Syrian civil war. Meanwhile, here at home, the Department of Homeland Security is updating its alert system to help the American people stay vigilant and safe. And as always, our extraordinary men and women in uniform continue to put their lives on the line -- in this campaign and around the world -- to keep the rest of us safe. This holiday season, many of our troops are once again far from their families. And as your Commander-in-Chief, on behalf of the American people, we want to say thank you. We are grateful, and we are proud for everything that you do. Because of you, the America that we know and love and cherish is leading the world in this fight. Because of you, I am confident that we are going to prevail. Thank you very much, everybody. END |
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On December 12, 2015: President Obama addressed during the weekly remarks, Our military has been stepping up its campaign to destroy ISIL, and our airstrikes are hitting ISIL harder than ever before. The President emphasized that we will continue to move forward on all fronts, which is why this week he will go to the Pentagon to review our military campaign, and to the National Counterterrorism center to review our efforts to prevent attacks. And he reminded us that we all have a part to play in the fight against terrorism – The President praised Americans across the country who have come together to reaffirm our core values and stand up, forcefully, for freedom of religion. On December 5, 2015: President Obama emphasized that we will not be terrorized. On November 21st, 2015: The Vice President reminded us that ISIL wants us to turn our backs on Muslims victimized by terrorism. We win by prioritizing our security while refusing to compromise our fundamental American values of freedom, openness, and tolerance which we have seen the worst of humanity. The heinous terrorist attacks in Paris and Beirut, in Iraq and Nigeria. They showed us once again the depths of the terrorist’s depravity. On December 13th, 2015: President Obama addressed the attacks in Paris on Friday evening, calling the attacks “heartbreaking. On November 15, 2015, On behalf of United State of America, President Obama grieved that hurrable attack, and presented Presidential Proclamation for Honoring the Victims of the Attack in Paris, France. - Presidential Proclamation - HONORING THE VICTIMS OF THE ATTACK IN PARIS, FRANCE - - - - - - - BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A PROCLAMATION
President Obama Spoke on Massive Paris Shootings, Explosives Attacks That Kill Over 100 People November 13, Obama Calls Deadly Paris Attacks ‘Heartbreaking’ “This is an attack not just on Paris… It’s an attack on all of humanity and the universal values we share,” he said. At least 60 people were killed in the coordinated attacks. Obama warned that the situation was ongoing. “France is our oldest ally,” he said. “The French people have stood shoulder to shoulder with the U.S. time and time again. We want to be very clear that we stand with them in the fight against terrorism and extremism.” “Once again we’ve seen an outrageous attempt to terrorize innocent civilians… Those who think that they can terrorize the people of France or the values that they stand for are wrong.” He added, “American people can draw strength from the French people’s commitment to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” On December 13, 2015, President Obama made Statement that We stand prepared and ready to provide whatever assistance that the government and the people of France need to respond. France is our oldest ally. The French people have stood shoulder to shoulder with the United States time and again. And we want to be very clear that we stand together with them in the fight against terrorism and extremism. Statement by the President on the Situation in Paris
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