Obama: Radical Islamic Terror a Manufactured Issue

The issue of labeling certain terror acts as “Islamic terrorism” is a manufactured issue, President Obama told a room of military families and service members at Fort Lee, Virginia.

During the CNN town hall, Obama was asked by a Gold Star mother, Tina Houchins, why he was reluctant to use the term “Islamic terrorism.”

“Al-Qaida or ISIL [ISIS] … have perverted and distorted and tried to claim the mantle of Islam for an excuse for basically barbarism and death.”

“The truth of the issue is that this is an issue that has been sort of manufactured,” said Obama. “Because there is no doubt … where we see terrorist organizations like al-Qaida or ISIL [ISIS], they have perverted and distorted and tried to claim the mantle of Islam for an excuse for basically barbarism and death. These are people who kill children, kill Muslims, take sex slaves.”

Obama said Islam does not call for that. He said the majority of Muslims are peaceful and responsible, and many are American firefighters and service members.

“Do I think it’s a huge deal? No,” said Obama. But Obama says use of the term “Islamic terrorist” is heard by friends and allies as attacks on Islam itself and that it makes it harder to get cooperation.

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Obama said even some people “aspiring” to be president should refrain from such language. He said religious tests for immigration were a “slippery slope.”

Jake Tapper, the CNN host, said Obama was clearly referring to the Republican presidential nominee, Donald Trump.

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“No, I wasn’t,” said Obama. Obama said such language was not unique to Trump, and a number of public figures have used such “dangerous” rhetoric.

Earlier in the town hall, Obama spoke of his appreciation for service members fighting the War on Terror. In another question about “Islamic jihadists,” Obama claimed the “number of terrorist incidents has not substantially increased” — a statement sure to be examined and fact-checked on Thursday.

Obama said recent, high-profile attacks in the Middle East, Europe, and some in the United States have differed from al-Qaida. But he said homegrown ISIS terrorists can find inspiration without guidance from ISIS — and they can find access to guns.

It was access to guns in the United States that bothered Obama when he spoke of the attack in Orlando. He said the nation has to find commonsense solutions to having terrorists get such access.

“That’s going to be a challenge,” said Obama.