Obama Claims US Not at War with Islam
Obama made the remarks in his a speech earlier this week at a Washington conference on countering radicalism that drew delegates from 60 countries, Press TV reported.
He said ISIL or al-Qaeda terrorists “do not speak” for one billion Muslims who reject their hateful ideology. "They no more represent Islam…No religion is responsible for terrorism. People are responsible for violence and terrorism."
"Al Qaeda and ISIL and groups like it are desperate for legitimacy. They try to portray themselves as religious leaders...They propagate the notion that America, and the West generally, is at war with Islam. That's how they recruit. That's how they try to radicalize young people," he said.
"We must never accept the premise that they put forward, because it is a lie, nor should we grant these terrorists the religious legitimacy that they seek," Obama stated.
"They are not religious leaders, they are terrorists. And we are not at war with Islam. We are at war with people who have perverted Islam," he added.
