State Dining Room
THE PRESIDENT: Good evening. Today I authorized two
operations in Iraq -- targeted airstrikes to protect our American
personnel, and a humanitarian effort to help save thousands of Iraqi
civilians who are trapped on a mountain without food and water and
facing almost certain death. Let me explain the actions we’re taking
and why.
First, I said in June -- as the terrorist group ISIL began
an advance across Iraq -- that the United States would be prepared to
take targeted military action in Iraq if and when we determined that the
situation required it. In recent days, these terrorists have continued
to move across Iraq, and have neared the city of Erbil, where American
diplomats and civilians serve at our consulate and American military
personnel advise Iraqi forces.
To stop the advance on Erbil, I’ve directed our military
to take targeted strikes against ISIL terrorist convoys should they move
toward the city. We intend to stay vigilant, and take action if these
terrorist forces threaten our personnel or facilities anywhere in Iraq,
including our consulate in Erbil and our embassy in Baghdad. We’re also
providing urgent assistance to Iraqi government and Kurdish forces so
they can more effectively wage the fight against ISIL.
Second, at the request of the Iraqi government -- we’ve
begun operations to help save Iraqi civilians stranded on the mountain.
As ISIL has marched across Iraq, it has waged a ruthless campaign
against innocent Iraqis. And these terrorists have been especially
barbaric towards religious minorities, including Christian and Yezidis, a
small and ancient religious sect. Countless Iraqis have been
displaced. And chilling reports describe ISIL militants rounding up
families, conducting mass executions, and enslaving Yezidi women.
In recent days, Yezidi women, men and children from the
area of Sinjar have fled for their lives. And thousands -- perhaps tens
of thousands -- are now hiding high up on the mountain, with little but
the clothes on their backs. They’re without food, they’re without
water. People are starving. And children are dying of thirst.
Meanwhile, ISIL forces below have called for the systematic destruction
of the entire Yezidi people, which would constitute genocide. So these
innocent families are faced with a horrible choice: descend the
mountain and be slaughtered, or stay and slowly die of thirst and
hunger.
I’ve said before, the United States cannot and should not
intervene every time there’s a crisis in the world. So let me be clear
about why we must act, and act now. When we face a situation like we do
on that mountain -- with innocent people facing the prospect of
violence on a horrific scale, when we have a mandate to help -- in this
case, a request from the Iraqi government -- and when we have the unique
capabilities to help avert a massacre, then I believe the United States
of America cannot turn a blind eye. We can act, carefully and
responsibly, to prevent a potential act of genocide. That’s what we’re
doing on that mountain.
I’ve, therefore, authorized targeted airstrikes, if
necessary, to help forces in Iraq as they fight to break the siege of
Mount Sinjar and protect the civilians trapped there. Already, American
aircraft have begun conducting humanitarian airdrops of food and water
to help these desperate men, women and children survive. Earlier this
week, one Iraqi in the area cried to the world, “There is no one coming
to help.” Well today, America is coming to help. We’re also consulting
with other countries -- and the United Nations -- who have called for
action to address this humanitarian crisis.
I know that many of you are rightly concerned about any
American military action in Iraq, even limited strikes like these. I
understand that. I ran for this office in part to end our war in Iraq
and welcome our troops home, and that’s what we’ve done. As
Commander-in-Chief, I will not allow the United States to be dragged
into fighting another war in Iraq. And so even as we support Iraqis as
they take the fight to these terrorists, American combat troops will not
be returning to fight in Iraq, because there’s no American military
solution to the larger crisis in Iraq. The only lasting solution is
reconciliation among Iraqi communities and stronger Iraqi security
forces.
However, we can and should support moderate forces who can
bring stability to Iraq. So even as we carry out these two missions,
we will continue to pursue a broader strategy that empowers Iraqis to
confront this crisis. Iraqi leaders need to come together and forge a
new government that represents the legitimate interests of all Iraqis,
and that can fight back against the threats like ISIL. Iraqis have
named a new President, a new Speaker of Parliament, and are seeking
consensus on a new Prime Minister. This is the progress that needs to
continue in order to reverse the momentum of the terrorists who prey on
Iraq’s divisions.
Once Iraq has a new government, the United States will
work with it and other countries in the region to provide increased
support to deal with this humanitarian crisis and counterterrorism
challenge. None of Iraq’s neighbors have an interest in this terrible
suffering or instability.
And so we’ll continue to work with our friends and allies
to help refugees get the shelter and food and water they so desperately
need, and to help Iraqis push back against ISIL. The several hundred
American advisors that I ordered to Iraq will continue to assess what
more we can do to help train, advise and support Iraqi forces going
forward. And just as I consulted Congress on the decisions I made
today, we will continue to do so going forward.
My fellow Americans, the world is confronted by many
challenges. And while America has never been able to right every wrong,
America has made the world a more secure and prosperous place. And our
leadership is necessary to underwrite the global security and
prosperity that our children and our grandchildren will depend upon. We
do so by adhering to a set of core principles. We do whatever is
necessary to protect our people. We support our allies when they’re in
danger. We lead coalitions of countries to uphold international norms.
And we strive to stay true to the fundamental values -- the desire to
live with basic freedom and dignity -- that is common to human beings
wherever they are. That’s why people all over the world look to the
United States of America to lead. And that’s why we do it.
So let me close by assuring you that there is no decision
that I take more seriously than the use of military force. Over the
last several years, we have brought the vast majority of our troops home
from Iraq and Afghanistan. And I’ve been careful to resist calls to
turn time and again to our military, because America has other tools in
our arsenal than our military. We can also lead with the power of our
diplomacy, our economy, and our ideals.
But when the lives of American citizens are at risk, we
will take action. That’s my responsibility as Commander-in-Chief. And
when many thousands of innocent civilians are faced with the danger of
being wiped out, and we have the capacity to do something about it, we
will take action. That is our responsibility as Americans. That’s a
hallmark of American leadership. That’s who we are.
So tonight, we give thanks to our men and women in
uniform -— especially our brave pilots and crews over Iraq who are
protecting our fellow Americans and saving the lives of so many men,
women and children that they will never meet. They represent American
leadership at its best. As a nation, we should be proud of them, and of
our country’s enduring commitment to uphold our own security and the
dignity of our fellow human beings.
God bless our Armed Forces, and God bless the United States of America.
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