President Obama on Monday vowed to crush the “apocalyptic cult” that is the Islamic State but said U.S. military force will not be enough to bring stability to places such as Syria.
Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Mr. Obama said the situation inside of Syria — where a civil war has forces hundreds of thousands of Syrians to flee their country, and where terrorist groups control large swaths of territory — is the responsibility of the entire world community.
Whether it is in Syria, Iraq or elsewhere around the world, the president said the U.S. will remain on the offensive against extremist groups.
“There is no room for accommodating an apocalyptic cult like [the Islamic State] … We have demonstrated over more than a decade of relentless pursuit of al Qaeda that we will not be outlasted by extremists. But while military power is necessary, it is not sufficient to resolve the situation in Syria,” he said.
The world must come together to return order to Syria, Mr. Obama said, adding that a change in leadership is crucial.
The U.S. continually has called on Syrian President Bashar Assad to step aside, but he remains in power amid support from key Syrian allies such as Russia.
“We must recognize that there cannot be, after so much bloodshed … a return to the pre-war status quo,” the president said.
• Ben Wolfgang can be reached at bwolfgang@washingtontimes.com.
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