Thursday
Aug062009
Obama Takes New Approach To War On Terror, Says Natl. Security Adviser
Thursday, August 6, 2009 at 2:56PM
By Laura Woodhead - Talk Radio News
The Obama administration is bringing a new and more effective approach to the the war on terror, John Brennan, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counter Terrorism, said Thursday.
"The President understands that military power, intelligence operations, and law enforcement alone will never solve the ... challenge we face: the threat of violent extremism, including the political, economic, and social factors that help put so many individuals on the path to violence," said Brennan during a speech at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Brennan highlighted the Obama administration's attempt to change the way the world perceives U.S. counter terrorism measures.
“Describing our efforts as a 'global war' only plays into the warped narrative that al-Qaida propagates. It plays into the misleading and dangerous notion that the U.S. is somehow in conflict with the rest of the world,” said Brennan. “Instead, as the President has made clear, we are at war with al-Qaida, which attacked us on 9/11 and killed 3,000 people.”
Brennan stressed that the new approach would include working with Muslim nations rather than flippantly labeling them as enemies.
“[The President] has launched a new era of engagement with the world, including committing the United States to a new partnership with Muslims around the world—a partnership based on mutual interests and mutual respect,” said Brennan. "America is not, and never will be, at war with Islam."
Brennan denounced enhanced interrogation tactics such as water boarding, claiming that they actually hinder counter terrorism efforts
“[Enhanced interrogation tactics] increase the determination of our enemies, and decrease the willingness of other nations to cooperate with us. In short, they undermine our national security,” said Brennan.
“[The President] rejects the false choice between ensuring our national security and upholding civil liberties,” Brennan added.
Brennan noted that the President has a taken an aggressive approach towards counter terrorism.
“We have presented President Obama with a number of actions and initiatives against al Qaeda and other terrorist groups. Not only has he approved these operations, he has encouraged us to be even more aggressive, even more proactive, and even more innovative, to seek out new ways and new opportunities for taking down these terrorists,” Brennan said.
The Obama administration is bringing a new and more effective approach to the the war on terror, John Brennan, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counter Terrorism, said Thursday.
"The President understands that military power, intelligence operations, and law enforcement alone will never solve the ... challenge we face: the threat of violent extremism, including the political, economic, and social factors that help put so many individuals on the path to violence," said Brennan during a speech at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Brennan highlighted the Obama administration's attempt to change the way the world perceives U.S. counter terrorism measures.
“Describing our efforts as a 'global war' only plays into the warped narrative that al-Qaida propagates. It plays into the misleading and dangerous notion that the U.S. is somehow in conflict with the rest of the world,” said Brennan. “Instead, as the President has made clear, we are at war with al-Qaida, which attacked us on 9/11 and killed 3,000 people.”
Brennan stressed that the new approach would include working with Muslim nations rather than flippantly labeling them as enemies.
“[The President] has launched a new era of engagement with the world, including committing the United States to a new partnership with Muslims around the world—a partnership based on mutual interests and mutual respect,” said Brennan. "America is not, and never will be, at war with Islam."
Brennan denounced enhanced interrogation tactics such as water boarding, claiming that they actually hinder counter terrorism efforts
“[Enhanced interrogation tactics] increase the determination of our enemies, and decrease the willingness of other nations to cooperate with us. In short, they undermine our national security,” said Brennan.
“[The President] rejects the false choice between ensuring our national security and upholding civil liberties,” Brennan added.
Brennan noted that the President has a taken an aggressive approach towards counter terrorism.
“We have presented President Obama with a number of actions and initiatives against al Qaeda and other terrorist groups. Not only has he approved these operations, he has encouraged us to be even more aggressive, even more proactive, and even more innovative, to seek out new ways and new opportunities for taking down these terrorists,” Brennan said.
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