President Obama Adresses ISIS

On Wednesday, September 11, 2014, President Obama made an address concerning America’s plan of action in regard to the terrorist organization known as ISIS. According to the President, although there have been no clear attempts of attack made on United States’ soil, ISIS is still a threat to our nation because of their violence towards various religious groups including Muslim (which is their “proclaimed” religion), as well as two American Journalists. Obama noted that their inhumane nature has called the attention of our great nation.

Obama delivered the message with certainty and strength. He stressed the importance of ISIS’s demise to the American public, and how crucial their fall of their rule is to humanity in general. The President called their tactics inhumane and genocide. Which lead him and the United States government to formulate formal militaristic steps to ensure the destruction of this terrorist organization. The first step the president intends on taking would be air strikes. The second, military support on the ground. Third, counterterrorism actions will be put forth. Lastly, the United States will continue to provide humanitarian assistance to the innocent civilians that are directly affected by our efforts and by the unjust efforts of the ISIS organization.

The most effective aspect of President Obama’s speech was the structure of the speech itself. The way the President structured his speech was so that the average American would be able to both follow what he was saying and also be drawn into the emotional factors of what our nation is about to undertake. The beginning of the President’s speech was a gripping explanation of what ISIS is and how this terrorist group treats the people who are amongst the population by which they control. By starting his speech this way, he was able to effectively pull the audience in and set a standard for the severity of the situation in Iraq and Syria. He then continued in his speech by listing off and explaining each aspect of America’s plan of action, making his speech both easy to follow and informative for his viewers. Then in the last section of his speech he discussed how strong America is as a nation. Obama rallies the American public by talking up how wonderful our society is as a whole, easing the tension and raising hope for what is to come.

The journalistic truth that is most strongly represented in this speech would be Truth Four. Truth Four states that “Nothing is New and Everything That Has Happened Can Happen Again.” This truth is present in President Obama’s speech because this is not the first time that a speech has been made regarding military action in the middle-east. Every time America goes to war, presidents make similar speeches. Presidents will give the people an update on America’s current plans of action, and will do their best to raise patriotism before entering the front lines. Obama’s speech is no exception to this concept.

President Obama's Address Concerning ISIS

On Wednesday night, President Obama addressed the world on how the United States is going to deal with the issue of ISIS, or ISIL as he called it, which stands for the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. 

Obama presented his speech in a very strong and confident manor, reassuring the public that this issue will not be taken lightly. He sent a strong message: “if you threaten America, you will find no safe haven.” The speech was very informative, but given in very simple terms so that everyone would be able to comprehend the situation. Obama was thorough in explaining how the United States was going to deal with ISIS through airstrikes, increased support to forces on the ground, and call upon “substantial counterterrorism capabilities.”

The most effective part of the message was making clear that the United States was not going to let a terrorist group exist and continue to threaten innocent people, no matter where in the world they are. In the latter part of his speech, Obama talked a lot about how America is still a world power and it will continue to thrive and lead the people to a “more hopeful future.”

On the 7 Truths of Media, I believe that the one that stands out the most in this case is Truth 2: There Are No Mainstream Media. When looking for a medium to watch the speech live, I realized that it was very easy to find a source. I ended up watching it on the White House’s live stream on my laptop, but I just have easily could have watched it on the television, listened to it on the radio, or read the transcript. Immediately after, many news outlets began to discuss the speech on Twitter and on television, as well as many other places. This shows that how accessible the news is to anyone and that there is no one right way to seek information. 

President Obama's plan towards ISIL by Liyi Li

On Wednesday night, September 10th, 2014, President Obama held a speech at the White House to inform the nation about his plan towards the Iraqi terrorist group, ISIL. The President described ISIL as “a terrorist organization, pure and simple” and that as the Commander-in-Chief, his first priority is the “security of American people.” The main objective of his speech is clear: “to degrade, and ultimately destroy, ISIL through a comprehensive and sustained counter-terrorism strategy.” The four parts of the US strategy are a systematic campaign of airstrikes against ISIL, increased support to forces fighting ISIL on the ground, drawing on our substantial counterterrorism capabilities to prevent ISIL attacks, and providing humanitarian assistance to innocent civilians displaced by ISIL.”

President Obama delivered his message to the nation in a very determined and confidence attitude. His tone remained serious throughout the speech and there was barely any gestures. His eye contact with the camera was consistent and resolute, showing that he plan is well prepared and that he has control over the happenings.

The most effective parts of this speech include the President’s reminiscence on the past terrorist events and his call to the Congress and American people to come together as one to fight against terrorism. He appealed to the Congress in a sincere way by stating that “we are strongest as a nation when the president and Congress work together.”

One main media truth that stands out in President Obama’s speech is that nothing is new and the fact that everything will reoccur. In his speech, President Obama discussed the reoccurring terrorism and threats that the US faced, from 9.11 to the threats from ISIL at this point. The President has also noted that we have “consistently taken the fight to terrorists” that threatened the US, showing that terrorism is a repeated happening and what we should do is continue to fight against terrorism. 

Obama Nationally Addresses the ISIL Conflict

President Obama recently spoke in a National Address on September 10th regarding the terrorist group ISIL. Obama announced that the United States of America will be using all of their counterterrorism initiatives to help end the ISIL's reign of terror in the Iraq, Syria, and the larger global community. The President established the four initiatives of the United States of America in the fight against the terrorist group. The first initiative of the USA is the use of air-strikes against ISIL territory. The second initiative is the increase of support for ground forces battling the Islam extremist group. The third initiative is the utilization of American counterterrorism planning in order to prevent further attacks by ISIL. And lastly, the USA will increase humanitarian support of for the innocent Iraqi and Syrian citizens. 

Obama's speech delivery was so effective because of his ability to balance his indefinite power while still remaining palpable to viewers. Viewers positively receive Obama because of his body language, which is the driving force for his undeniable sense of confidence.  More specifically, the President uses his hands to create a sense of sureness. When reassuring American citizens of the White House's sole desire to maintain security throughout the world, he uses swift and brisk hand gestures to show his commitment to ending ISIL. After notifying Americans of the decision to enter ISIL territory, he establishes that his "highest priority is the security of the American people" with a quick motion of his fist onto the podium. Similar to that of a judge and a javelin, Obama is notifying American that the final jury had been made and he only has the utmost of confidence. As any great leader and public speaker, the President delivers his message with a manner of confidence that reassures and comforts the American people of the decision to fight against ISIL. 

Obama appears to be quite knowledgable of his Media Truths, making sure the avoid Truth Three, or the medias natural inclination to focus on the more extreme aspects of life (including minority groups, violence, and other values). The National Address not only outlined the US initiatives against ISIL, but also contained an underlying social message to Americans: the religious affiliations of ISIL Muslim extremists do not represent the entire Islamic group. Obama reminds American people that "ISIL is not Islamic" and that "no religion condones the killing of innocents". Obama recognizes the inability of people to recognize that a single story of extremist Islamic people doesn't represent the Islamic community as a whole. Obama is not only discussing the problem of ISIL, but he is also confronting the problem of American people's tendency to compartmentalize underrepresented groups in America, which makes for another productive and progressive Presidential Address. 

President Obama Addresses Growing ISIL Threat

On the day before the 13th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, President Obama addressed the nation on Wednesday in response to the growing terrorist threat of the group known as The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, or ISIL. The terrorist group has grown to have considerable influence on the hostile Middle East region, as they have gained territory on both sides of the Iraq-Syrian border, and have capitalized on the ongoing Syrian Civil War to gain power in the region. The President announced his plans to counter ISIL’s growing threat to the region and to the United States. These plans include concentrated airstrikes, working with counter terrorism experts, and rallying other nations to join our cause to protect the innocent civilians that have been impacted by ISIL. As the United State’s combat mission in Afghanistan draws to a close, The President made clear that the fight against ISIL will not involve American combat troops. He firmly stated that “As commander in chief, my highest priority is the safety of the American people”, and declared he will unite with Congress to prevent more innocent casualties in the recent wake of murders of Americans journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff.

The President, as he has done on many occasions before, showed his prowess with addressing the American people and showcased his strong delivery and his determined demeanor. At the beginning of his speech, he noted the past successes that he has had in the fight against terrorism during his presidency. These include the killing of Osama bin Laden, the targeting of Al Qaeda affiliates in Yemen and Somalia, and how his administration has “taken the fight towards terrorists”. By establishing his credibility in his speech, President Obama attempts ease the doubts some may have of his plans against ISIL. His message was clear; “ISIL is a terrorist organization, plan and simple…. the United States of America is meeting them with strength and resolve”. One resolute statement that Obama delivered with a adamant tone was this; “If you threaten America, you will find no safe haven”. The speech’s overall effectiveness was embedded in Obama’s repetition of American values, such as freedom, justice, and dignity. He states that, “This is American leadership at it’s best. We stand with people to fight for their own freedom, and we rally other nations on behalf of our common security, and common humanity”. In a time when most Americans are uncertain about whether they can trust Washington, President Obama wisely chooses to invoke an emotional response in his audience by highlighting the values America fights for.

People across the nation watched President Obama’s speech from different mediums that include computers, televisions, and online websites such as YouTube and whitehouse.gov. The different ways we were able to watch the President’s speech prove that the first truth of media is correct, and that the media are an essential components of our lives. As we have seen before in the 21st century, terrorism is taken very seriously by the United States. The Middle East continues to be a region that breeds the most brutal terrorist groups, which reinforces the claim of the fourth truth of the media; that is everything that has happened will happen again. These two truths of media were featured most prominently in President Obama’s speech. Only time will tell whether the President makes good on his promise to bring ISIL to justice.  

President Obama's Plan for ISIL

On Wednesday, September 10th, 2014, President Obama addressed the nation about the Iraqi terrorist group, ISIL, also known as ISIS. His speech started off warmly reassuring the American public of our safety, recent achievements in the Middle East and progress in starting to end the war. He went on to give the public some background information of ISIL, noting that it is indeed "a terrorist organization, plain and simple", that is not supported by a government or people nor does it coincide with the values of Islam. The president then delivered his main message with determination and vigilance: the U.S. "will degrade and ultimately destroy ISIL."

Obama revealed his four part plan to the American people that he believes will ultimately lead to the destruction of ISIL. This plan involves airstrikes, support for combat positions fighting ISIL, working to prevent possible attacks in the future by ISIL, and providing assistance to civilians that have been displaced by the terrorist group. The president's straight forward delivery of this plan clearly shows the U.S. his intentions to fully eradicate ISIL. His upright posture and unwavering vision towards the camera emphasized his belief that this four part plan would be successful. 

From the moment our president appeared on the on the screen, he appeared confident. He walked up to the stand to deliver his address in a manner that could have been mistaken for bored or tired, but really only better emphasized how much he wanted to be rid of terrorism in this world. Clearly sick of war, ISIL, and having no patience for further endangerment of America, Obama spoke eloquently and triumphantly. It was evident that the president had a great mission ahead of him. He very early on set the tone of how he wanted to be perceived by anyone who watched his address last night. This manner of speech conveyed President Obama's message in the most effective way: he is ready to put his plan in action. 

The media truth that stands out the most with this national address is #4, the truth that nothing is new and that everything will reoccur. Obviously, throughout the years of humanity, times of war and peace will always be prevalent. Allied relationships will be built up only to be destroyed and the worst of enemies may turn into allies with the help of conferences and agreements on the parts of both nations. Terrorism is an unfortunately reoccurring issue in the spectrum of war. Groups of people have their beliefs and they may go to great lengths to get others to support them or take them over. And the way these groups go about their campaign to promote their ideologies won't be accepted by targeted nations and that is one of the ways war develops. History is doomed to always repeat itself in part because of the rise and fall or these terrorist groups. Though situations may not always be completely the same, everything now is only a reoccurrence of what has happened in the past many years of humanity. Media will continue to report what has occurred to a nation that will realize it has only happened before.

On Wednesday, September 10th, 2014 President Obama Delivered a speech focusing on the safety of the United States in regards to the terrorist group ISIL, also known as ISIS. President Obama discussed the four step process to “ultimately destroy the terrorist group known as ISIL” consisting of,  airstrikes against these terrorists which includes working with the Iraqi government, help the forces that are fighting on the ground against these terrorists, working with our countries partners to strengthen our efforts to demolish ISIL and provide humanitarian assistance so innocent people can continue living in their homeland. Due to these great efforts, joined with our allies and intelligence billions of dollars will help and serve for humanitarian aid. President Obama showed great strength as our countries leader and produced a plan for ISIL to be destroyed. 

Presidents Obama’s speech has prove that the United States will not stand down to this terrorist group. Due to the fact, the speech was on the eve of 9/11, it was important that his address was strong and united so another tragedy as awful does not occur. President Obama walked to his podium gracefully but began his message quite promptly. Throughout the speech, President Obama spoke with much determination in his voice despite the fearful threats that we’re being faced with. The Presidents relax body language and stern hand gestures showed him connecting with his people while seeming personable which is why his message was effective. President Obama talking about the past efforts, Osama bin Laden and much of al Qaeda’s leadership in Afghanistan and Pakistan being dismissed in order to keep out safety, makes it seem like an easier process. Towards the end of the speech President Obama provided positive information about how strong our country is to remind us we are united. President Obama’s way of delivering this speech was respectful, determined and provided information to understand our efforts of destroying ISIL. 

The media truth that stood out the most was Media Truth number 1, the media are essential components of our lives. If it was not for the media none of this would be known therefore no help would be giving. Media is the reason that something can be done, and sharing this story with the audience not only helps our country but has the opportunity for other countries to stand by our side and help with the efforts to destroy ISIL. 

President Obama's Counter-Terrorism Strategy

     President Barrack Obama addressed America’s concern of the jihadist group, known as the Islamic State, that is currently operating in Syria and Iraq. Mainly, he announced various components of his counter-terrorism strategy. This plan includes more U.S. air strikes in Iraq, aid from other countries, and sending an additional 475 U.S. military troops to help Iraq’s military. The president also emphasized having more troops on local grounds to take action against the Islamic State, also known as ISIL or ISIS. Later on in his speech, Obama expressed his opinion on ISIL affiliation with the Islamic Religion. He believes that ISIL is a terrorist group, and, therefore, is not Islamic because no religion would support the cruel murdering of innocents. ISIL has American blood on their hands after beheading two American journalists, Jim Foley and Steven Sotloff. 

     The message was delivered with commitment and determination. Obama ensured America of his ambition when he stated, “I will not hesitate to take action against ISIL in Syria, as well as Iraq.” He delivered the message in such a way that gave viewers, tuning in at home, a sense of relief that the President was finally taking care of the issue at hand. He was confident in saying, “This is American leadership at its best: We stand with people who fight for their own freedom, and we rally other nations on behalf of our common security and common humanity.”

     The most effective part of the message was that in the beginning when ISIL killed the first journalist about a month ago, the President didn’t take much action to ensure the safety of our country or bring the second journalist back home. He waited until the second journalist was also murdered to take action and protect the country. Another portion of the speech that was interesting was when he stated, “I have the authority to address the threat from ISIL. But I believe we are strongest as a nation when the president and Congress work together. So I welcome congressional support for this effort in order to show the world that Americans are united in confronting this danger.” This statement rose the question of will congress unite? In stating that he has the authority to take action with or without the approval of congress leaves an unsettling feeling in the minds of the people. This is contradictory because when outlining his plan, Obama seems to be confident that his plan will be victorious in the defeat of ISIL. However, if congress is not supporting his strategy, it makes others question how effective it really is. 

     While watching the national address several media truths stood out. For example, everything that happened in the past will happen again. Obama referenced the procedures taken in Yemen and Somalia and announced that the military strategy will resemble these previous efforts. However, the repetition of this plan seems to be a concern to most people because the U.S. airstrikes in those regions have not reached a reasonable conclusion. Therefore, will repeating a previous plan lead to the similar result? Another media truth is that media are essential components of our lives. Viewers tuning in to listen to President Obama’s new counter-terrorism plan used different sources of media such as television, computers, and newspapers. Without being immersed in media, society would have a difficult time staying updated with national news. The medium is the message. Therefore, not only is the information important, the media one uses to express what to say is also significant. 

Obama's Solution to Terrorist Attack -Niree Turner

On Wednesday night, President Obama gave a speech explaining his process to stop the terrorist threat by Isil. His plan is to attack using air strikes and not send US soldiers on foot. he explains how our allies will help us by sending their troops on foot. In return we will help them build their governments.

The President delivered his speech with great confidence and determination. He is confident that this plan will work so he request congress support. Obama also shows determination as a leader of the US. He says that "America has the obligation to lead and we stand for freedom and dignity and we must protect the innocent". This shows that he is determined to stop this threat and show that both himself and America can be outstanding leaders.

The most effective part of the President's speech was when he explained the step by step process to handling the threat. He realizes that not everyone will understand what is happening or about to happen so he breaks down each part of the plan and explains it in plain English for everyone to understand. The step by step plan shows that he have given much thought to the problem and came up with an effective solution.

The media truth that stands out the most is number four. Truth four states that nothing is new and everything that happened in the past will happen again. In his speech, Obama mentions 9-11 and other historical terrorist attacks. He references these events to show that he have learned from these events and have a solid solution to ensure they will not happen again. President Obama has a strong will to protect innocent people and have a solid plan to keep everyone safe.

President Obama's speech - 9/10/2014

    Just hours before the thirteenth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks that rocked the United States, President Barrack Obama addressed the nation on the most recent terror issue - ISIS. The President revealed the U.S.'s plan to stop the terrorist organization, currently operating in Syria and Iraq. 

    Obama announced that the United States would send 450 troops overseas to weaken the militant group, but assured that "there will be no ground troops, and we will not be forced into a ground-war against ISIL." Furthermore, he announced that the U.S. would lead an international coalition to defeat ISIS, and that "attacks would only be made via air power." Obama added "we are not in this fight alone", emphasizing that other nations as well as the newly-created Iraqi government would help out in this fight, 

    Throughout the address to the nation, the President remained calm, collected, and composed - yet he retained a serious and passionate tone. Obama had some harsh words for ISIS, when he said that there will be "no safe haven" for terrorists anywhere, and that the United States would find them and rid of them. The President added that while the country is unaware of any specifically-planned terrorist plot from ISIS, they have threatened the country and the United States, in turn, is on high alert. 

   The most effective part of this speech was his threat to ISIS. Because of the serious tone and expression, and the harshness of the words "we will find you, we will rid of you - there is no safe haven" combined to be effective. 

   One of the media truths revealed in this speech was that "nothing is new - everything that has happened in the past will happen again." Although ISIS is not the same terrorist group from the past (al-Qaeda), we are faced with a very similar situation. A group, killing Americans (i.e. beheading of U.S. journalists), and trying to take control of the Middle East - another conflict America feels they have a role in to stop the situation. 

Obama Addresses the ISIL Crisis

On Wednesday September 10th, President Barack Obama announced his plans for reacting to the terrorist group ISIL. He introduced a four-step plan to strike down ISIL and to keep the security of America in tact. As always, he approached the stand with poise and spoke in a clear and crisp tone. To begin, he used examples of our accomplishments with eliminating other terrorists, for example, Osama Bin Laden. He then addressed that this plan will not resemble the wars in Iraq or Afghanistan and the troops that were there have decreased drastically. Similar to 9/11, ISIL is a small terrorist group, but he relates back to this life-changing event to remind the American people that only a few terrorists can do a lot of damage.

Later, Obama describes the awful actions that ISIL has taken, and he stresses that they are like no other terrorist group we have seen before. They have killed innocent children and there have been multiple events of genocide against Christians and other religions. ISIL has taken advantage of sectarian strife and civil war in order to get territory on both side of the Iraq-Syrian border, so they are slowly expanding. Obama says that even though there have not been any legitimate attacks on America from ISIL, they have still threatened our country and we need to meet them “with strength and resolve”. His plan is to operate air strikes exactly where ISIL is located or detected and he hopes to slowly degrade and destroy ISIL.

In order to tame impatient citizens, he emphasizes that this operation will take time, and we need all the time we can get. The first part he introduces is to operate air strike and to work with the Iraq government to pinpoint the hideouts and meeting places of ISIL. Part two is to increase the support for on-ground service fighters, and to send in 475 more service members. After introducing this part of the plan, Obama is sure to tell the American people that this fighting will not resemble the bad wars that we have just recently pulled out of. The third part is to cut off ISIL’s funding and to learn more about their strategies and their methods. Lastly, he is planning on providing humanitarian assistance to innocent civilians who need our help. He does a great job of explaining how brutal ISIL really is, and he continuously says the phrase “men, women and children” because he knows that Americans and people in general feel very strongly about the killing of women and children.

He then says that we will be joined by allies and to rap it all up, he gets into a pro-America rant, to amp up the citizens and get the people excited about protecting their country. I’ve always thought that Obama is a wonderful speaker, and he never fails to speak in a clear and strong voice. The structure of this speech was well laid out and he was able to explain what ISIL was while also filling the Americans with hope and excitement for pinpointing this terrorist group and eliminating them.

On Wednesday, September 10th, President Obama delivered a speech addressing his four-part plan for what the United States of America will do to destroy the terrorist group known as ISIL or commonly referred to ISIS.  President Obama publicly informed our nation that we are going to “degrade, and ultimately destroy, ISIL through a comprehensive and sustained counterterrorism strategy.”  President Obama’s four-part strategy to take down ISIL includes airstrikes in Iraq and Syria, increased support to forces fighting on the ground, draw on substantial counterterrorism capabilities to prevent ISIL attacks, and provide humanitarian assistance to innocent civilians.

President Obama delivered his speech with authority and confidence. Maintaining a powerful tone though out out the speech and using precise hand gestures, his strong body language helped show nationalism and pride in our country. President Obama made it clear that no matter who threatens our nation,  “the United States will meet this threat with strength and resolve.” Even though there are risks, Present Obama is sure that we will not regret his decision to go through with this plan. He is also confident that we will fight back with all of our power.

The most effective part of President Obama’s speech was when he gave the public his outline of the four-part strategy he designed to destroy the ISIL. Keeping the nation up to date with everything that he decides to do, gives America a sense of patriotism and is also comforting knowing that we are taking a big risk. Going through each step, the President spent a great deal of time coming up with the best way to attack the situation. Collaborating with many intelligent people, President Obama made sure that this plan was going to be the best it possibly could. 

Explaining his plan in detail also helped the public have confidence in him and his message. 

The first media truth stood out for me, “the media are essential components of our lives” because without media, President Obama would not have the ability to communicate with the public. The media also helped how the speech was delivered because we were able to see how the president used body language to help enforce his plan. At the end of his message, the public was able to use social media to communicate with one another about their opinions as well as phone in on television and give their thoughts. After the speech was presented, media also replayed the speech multiple times and allowed the public to view it on television or revisit parts of the message online. 

President Obama addresses ISIL

Last night around nine, President Obama addressed the nation on ISIL and how the United States would further react to their threats. His message was clear, "We will degrade and ultimately destroy ISIL".

Many Americans feel threatened, but also outraged, with the attacks ISIL has made over the past months. When delivering his message, Obama spoke for the nation. He himself seemed to feel the anger that the average citizen is feeling. When he presented his speech, Obama showed his anger by at times almost seeming to put down ISIL. At one point, he explained how they calls themselves "The Islamic State". At that given moment, Obama illustrated how ISIL is not recognized by any government as a state or religion based on their brutality towards innocent civilians. He finished this argument by stating, "ISIL is a terrorist organization, pure and simple". Obama also made sure to remind the nation that they have successful killed Osama Bin Laden and destroyed most of Al Qaeda, so taking down ISIL may be difficult but can definitely happen.

President Obama's body language, facial expressions, and hand gestures all tell a lot with how he (or anyone in general) is feeling. His speech is strong, calm, and professional. His posture is strong, shoulders back, head held high. His face seems relaxed yet tense at times, and he is constantly moving his hands to further emphasize  key points. Perhaps the strongest and most effective line of Obama's speech was when he stated, "If you threaten America, you will find no safe haven". The President then paused, allowing the message to sink in. America will not back down. We will stick together and continue to help the Iraqis, and all else who are threatened, to destroy ISIL once and for all.

Of the seven truths, Media Truth One stands out most in this circumstance. Media Truth One explains how the media are essential components of our lives. If it were not for media, none of us would understand the truth of what ISIL is doing. No one would have ever seen the beheading of American Journalists, Steven Sotloff and James Foley. The ability to read, or watch what is happening creates a stronger uprising amongst the population. Media allows us the opportunity to learn what we want to know and even at times informs us on news we never want to see. However, either way, media are essential and will continue to be one of the most important components of our lives.

Last night, President Obama gave a statement addressing how America is going to respond to the issue of the terrorist group ISIL. He spoke with great resolution on what he considers ISIL to be, “a terrorist organization, pure and simple.” He stressed that although ISIL calls itself the “Islamic State,” it neither works under the principles of Islam, nor is it a state. The president was very clear in his message that he has every intention of seeing the complete eradication of ISIL. In order to assure Americans of this, he laid out his plan: conduct “airstrikes against these terrorists,” increase support for those who are actually fighting ISIL “on the ground,” work “to prevent [future] ISIL attacks,” and provide assistance to “innocent civilians who have been displaced by” ISIL. The president numbered each of these statements one through four, respectively, asserting that this plan has legitimate steps as part of a definite process. In other words, he emphasized the fact that he has a solid plan, and Americans need not be worried.

The president’s determination was overwhelmingly evident as he stated that the goal of his aforementioned plan is that “we will degrade, and ultimately destroy, ISIL.” In fact, he stated this twice, once in the beginning of his statement to set its tone and create an understanding of its purpose and a second time as a reminder of the purpose and a reinforcement of his conviction.  His repetition of this assertion caused it to be the truly most effective part of his statement. Those few words summed up the majority, if not all, of his message that ISIL is unsavory and must be treated as such, and it is worthless and must be eliminated. With verbs as bold as “degrade” and “destroy,” the president emphasized just how disgusted and fed-up he is with the terrorist organization, all the while giving Americans a sense that they are united in and a part of this effort through words such as “we” and “our.” In effect, the president both made clear his intention and allowed his audience to join him in his resolve.

Undeniable in the statement is evidence of Media Truth Four. Nothing is new; everything that happened in the past will happen again. The president even alludes to past events involving terrorist organizations, such as dealing with al Qaeda and eventually taking out most of its leadership in Afghanistan and Pakistan. He addresses the unfortunate fact that evil has and always will exist, that it cannot be totally “[erased]…from the world.” ISIL, specifically, is made out to be just another terrorist organization which, as is the precedent, America will do its best to stop.

President Obama speaks to the American Public

President Obama addressed the American public on September 10, on the country’s next step against ISIL.

The President spoke clearly and concisely, as he explained that his main priority was keeping the citizens of our country safe. Rarely breaking eye contact with the camera, President Obama made no mistake with his message: The American government will not stand for any acts of terrorism. He went on to describe recent efforts against the terrorist groups, including airstrikes in the area. President Obama did say that the new efforts to stop the threat were made in conjunction with Iraqi forces.

The most effective quote of the night was “If you threaten America, you will find no safe haven”. President Obama was able to make a believable and powerful statement, without sounding threatening. He was able to thoroughly explain the plans to stop ISIL, and reassure the country that the American soldiers would be working solely as support, not in any combat. He was able to lift the American spirit while giving vital information to the public.

President Obama did take time to remind the country of how far we’ve come since September 11^th, thirteen years ago. Earlier in speech, he referenced the countries track record when facing terrorist operations. Proving the media truth that no event is new, it’s all happened before.

President Obama's Address on ISIS

President Obama gave a national address on the evening of September 10, 2014 addressing the actions and his strategy to confront the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). The President announced that the United States and its allies will lead a broad coalition in order to degrade and ultimately destroy ISIL. A statement was made that 450 troops will be sent into Iraq but, Obama made it very clear that this will not involve American combat troops fighting on foreign soil.

The address was delivered with determination and confidence and was to be received with an understanding reassuring tone that President Obama is taking action. President Obama was able to maintain a serious tone throughout the entire address, stressing the most important issues, such as the safety of the country the safety of the troops. When talking about the risky issues that could occur he would use reassuring language, pauses in his speech, and necessary hand gestures, to capture to audiences attention and then say statements such as; “This is a core principle of my presidency: if you threaten America, you will find no safe haven.”

In my opinion, the most effective part of the address was when he outlined the steps of his plan. It gave the “average” American a sense of reassurance that we are not declaring war, but that there is a devised plan that is taking place over time. The President also, mentions how this movement is about leadership and that this is “American Leadership at it’s best”. Incorporating how this is the 13th anniversary for 9/11 and how we are still a nation who stands for freedom made this not just any other speech, but one that President Obama and Americans feel more passionate about.  

The media truth that stood out to be most effective to me was Truth 1: The media are essential components of our lives. The President used media to effectively deliver his message over a broadcast on television, but also live streamed on the internet as well as discussions to follow up. People were able to follow along with information via Twitter or CNN on the phones and stay plugged into everything that was being said even without watching the live address. The forms of media that the President used ensured that a large audience would be able to partake in viewing the address, making it most effective. 

Obama on ISIL

   Obama's message was clear from the beginning of his speech. He plans to "degrade, and ultimately destroy the terrorist group known as ISIL." Obama has adopted a no-nonsense approach to the handling of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and has made this evident through his speech.
   The message was delivered with a confident and comforting tone. Regarding the treatment of ISIL, President Obama attempts to comfort the American population by saying, "I know many Americans are concerned about these threats. Tonight, I want you to know that the United States of America is meeting them with strength and resolve." He later goes on to boast that "we have conducted more than 150 successful airstrikes in Iraq" to ensure the American people that the atrocities conducted by ISIL are not going unpunished.
   Obama's tone and body language portray an unwavering confidence in his plan and in the military's ability to conduct it. Naturally, this may be an act because if the President does not believe in his own plan, who will?
   After the President laid out his plan for ISIL, he attempted to rally Americans around all of our recent accomplishments. He repeatedly used the phrase "it is America" followed by something we have done to better the world. This attempt to unite us all as Americans was probably the most effective part of the speech. Admittedly, many people will see this as a blatant attempt to use previous and unrelated success's to justify another war, but on the other hand it reminds us of all the good we've done throughout the world. We as Americans enjoy being told that we are doing good around the world, thus making this the most effective part of the speech.
   It's eerie how we as a nation have been in this situation before. We have had several presidents try to sell us a war, almost consistently in the middle east with promises that it will be quick, painless, with little American loss of life. I regret to admit that this represents the fourth Media Truth; Nothing's new; everything that happened in the past will happen again. Very few of us thought history would repeat itself this quickly.

Obama Adresses ISIL

Obama began his address to the nation when he directly stated that the United States will “degrade and ultimately destroy the terrorist group known as ISIL”. He left no question as to whether America is capable of truly eliminating the terrorist group, because he then went on to bolster the country’s military capabilities that in turn provide security for the nation.The president dictated that because the nation’s military has succeeded in providing peace in the past, it is therefore capable of eradicating ISIL and ensuring a continued sense of safety for The United States of America.

Obama’s promise to destroy ISIL and to therefore protect America’s well being was delivered in a determined and reassuring manner. When he first addressed the threat of ISIL and similar terrorist organizations, he contended that The United States “must remain vigilant when these threats emerge”. His phrase, that the country “must remain vigilant”, implies that The United States has consistently been aware of and has actively disbanded sects of terrorist organizations in the past. America’s prior success in eliminating terrorism is why Obama stated that America must “remain” that way, meaning that his administration’s proactive response to ISIL is effective and is currently necessary for the continued prosperity of the nation.

The most effective part of President Obama’s message was his appeal to diminish ISIL as a unified nation. While he declared that he himself has the authority to authorize the destruction of ISIL, he concluded that  “we are strongest as a nation when the president and Congress work together”. Through this statement, the President advocated the support of congressmen to solidify his plan of intervention. He implied that through the backing of bipartisanship, The United States would be more capable in defeating ISIL as a united and organized front.

Truth Four is most apparent in analyzing Obama’s address to the nation on ISIL. That “Nothing is new: Everything that happens in the past will happen again” applies to the ongoing turmoil in the Middle East and America’s consistent intervention. American involvement in Iraq previously began (most recently) under president Bush during the Iraq war. While it is eleven years later, The United States still intervenes in foreign affairs, Iraq just being one example, when the subject of national security is concerned.

President Obama's 9/10 Speech

On the evening of Wednesday September 10th, 2014 President Obama addressed the America public in regards to the threat that the extremist Islamic group (ISIS) posed. The President announced that the United States and its allies will lead a coalition against them in order to ultimately degrade and destroy ISL.

Obama delivered his speech with determination, confidence and authority while maintaining a stern face, a consistently serious tone, and using only the most necessary hand gestures. All throughout his speech he strives to reassure the nation that he has everything under control and while "there are risks involved," he is convinced that the United States is prepared to deal with this situation as a driving force.

In my opinion, the most effective part of his speech was when he outlined each of the steps of his plan. Not only does this prove that he has thought this through thoroughly, it also demonstrates the transparency in his plans. He clearly wants to keep the public 'in the loop' and updated on what he plans to do because this is a very delicate situation and most definitely a bold move.

The media truth that stood out to me the most was #1: the media are essential components of our lives, because the President relied on the media to deliver his message, the media helped create anticipation before he delivered the message, the public commented on the speech using social media outlets during the delivery of the speech and after the speech as well. Not only that, but the media allows the public to watch the speech after it was delivered as well as obtain the transcript.

Obama Reveals His Plans to "Degrade and Destroy" ISIS

Just shy of the 13th anniversary of the devastating attack on the World Trade Center, President Barack Obama gave a televised speech regarding the new enemy emerging from the Middle East— ISIS, or as the Commander-in-Chief calls it, ISIL. The terrorist group has shouted their message loud and clear — it will continue to ravage through the Middle East and beyond, igniting more chaos and death. With the horrifying deaths of two American journalists, James Foley and Steven Sotloff, the U.S. has decided that enough is enough and will meet the foe with full force. But how?

   Before revealing the plan on how to annihilate ISIS, Obama walked towards the stand calmly, with no hesitation and no sign of worry over the live announcement. Obama approached the speech as if he were walking over a frozen lake-- cautiously and avoiding any sore spots — highly aware at the number of people who strongly oppose his decision. His first words were “my fellow Americans, friends and allies”, ensuring a sense of unity immediately, strengthening the ties of speaker and audience. His goal was to provide a sense of conformity between himself and the viewers, trying to lower the wall and have the people trust him. He used clear and precise words to connect to any kind of person who was watching— not allowing any opportunity for misunderstanding or confusion. 

  One of the key points Obama stressed, was that the U.S. wasn’t the only one attempting to destroy ISIS. “This is not our fight alone” he emphasized, claiming that the newly created Iraqi government will work alongside the American military. As a country that has aided those in need ever since World War I, many Americans often feel burdened with the ‘responsibility’ of including themselves into other nation’s crisis’. Obama seemed to sense these thoughts, taking a pause and saying that with “endless blessings bestow an enduring burden.” He expressed the numerous ways that the U.S. has lead and triumphed, the ways that the presence of America have helped other countries improve.

  As the speech was coming to a close, the most effective part of the message was revealed: the reason for sending hundreds of men and women to battle ISIS. Obama alluded to our forefathers, to the construction of the U.S., to what our influence means in the world. “We stand for freedom, for justice, for dignity,” he claimed, reminding Americans that their mission was to always present these three traits and fight for them— no matter what the cost. When he was coming to a close, he ended with the sentimental “may God bless our troops and may God bless the United States of America” quote, tugging on the heartstrings of the viewers and leaving them a sense of patriotism.

  The Media Truths revealed throughout the speech are: 'nothing's new, everything that happened in the past will happen again', as well as 'the media is an essential component in our lives.’ Although it is not the same terrorist group that is posing the threat, it is the same scenario— beheading Americans, taking control of the Middle East and brewing chaos and horror throughout the land. The enemy hasn’t been vanquished, and might never will be, but the U.S. is doing what it has always done: facing the enemy and attempting to destroy it. The second truth is relevant to the speech because without the media, the speech wouldn’t have had such a big impact on the American public. Watching it on television, live streaming it from the computer, or reading the speech on the New York Times— the media informed the public about each detail and each remark made by President Obama, giving them the opportunity to make their own conclusion about his speech.

President Obama's Speech on ISIS

On Wednesday night, President Obama delivered a speech on his four-part strategy in order to “degrade and destroy” ISIS. He starts off by talking about what America has already done to fight the terrorists who threaten our country, but there are still threats. He then talks about ISIS and who/what they are: a terrorist organization. President Obama outlines his four-part strategy: airstrikes in Iraq (and Syria), increased support to forces fighting on the ground, draw on substantial counterterrorism capabilities to prevent ISIS attacks, and provide humanitarian assistance to innocent civilians. Along with this, President Obama also says that there will be a “broad coalition” of partners: allies from all over the world will help America take down ISIS. He also warns that this military action against ISIS will take time and will have risks, but he assures Americans that it will be different from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

During his speech, President Obama stood his ground; he was determined, resolute and sure that this was the best strategy for America. The words and phrasing and body language he used, especially when he said “if you threaten America, you will find no safe haven,” all contribute to this. He also knew that many Americans would be concerned so he constantly reassured the public that this would be different, that this would work.

For me, the most effective part of his speech was when President Obama started talking about why America is so exceptional and why we are in the best position to “seize the future” and “mobilize the world against terrorists.” He recounted the many things that America is doing right, from rallying the world against Russian aggression to helping contain and cure Ebola. It helps rally the pubic around our country; it makes us feel good about ourselves; it makes us feel like we are the best people for this job to eradicate terrorism.  

The most prevalent media truth would be Truth One: the media are essential components of our lives. Without a doubt, hundreds of thousands of people watched President Obama deliver his speech on Wednesday night, not only Americans, but also people from all over the world. People probably watched it on television, or heard it on the radio, or maybe they are reading about it right now. Because this subject is so important to a lot of people around the world, they will use any sort of media to find out what America’s strategy will be against ISIS. 

President Obama addresses ISIL

Obama’s message on Wednesday night addressed what the United States’ objective is as far as how to proceed with ICIL: “we will degrade, and ultimately destroy ISIL through a comprehensive and sustained counter-terrorism strategy.”

Obama states many clear methods on how this will all occur: Primarily, the US plans to conduct airstrikes and eliminate terrorists that currently pose any kind of threat to the country. Obama emphasized that anyone who threatens America “will find no safe haven.” Obama also stated that the US will increase the amount of service members in Iraq and help educate and train Iraqi and Kurdish forces. The US will eventually help Iraq renew their freedom over ISIL control. Along with these goals, Obama also plans to perform several acts of counterterrorism: strengthen defense systems, educate our forces and further prevent ISIL attacks. Obama also aspires to continue to assist innocent civilians who have become affected by the terrors of ISIL.

President Obama delivered this menage with determination and confidence. His tone throughout the speech made it seem that there is no alternative to this plan. He describes the true barbarism of ISIL by addressing acts of rape, murder and violent bloodshed. He discusses the danger ISIL poses to innocent civilians and promises that “America will lead a broad coalition to roll back this terrorist threat.”

The most effective part of Obama’s speech is his sense of patriotism. Granted, Obama address very gruesome instances of murder and bloodshed, however he instills a sense of domestic security toward the end of his speech that cause Americans to gain his trust. Obama states his plan to eliminate ISIL, then he ensures that we will “do whatever it takes to defend this nation.”

In this speech, media truth #4: “nothing is new” is very prevalent. ISIL is a terrorist group like any other. We have seen so many races, religions and innocent civilians targeted in events such as the Holocaust, 9/11 and multiple genocides. As terrible as it is, terrorism is nothing new. We have seen this before, and unfortunately, we will continue to see terroristic acts throughout the rest of our lives.

President Obama's ISIL Speech

In President Obama’s speech he shares his plan for America to lead a “broad coalition” to get rid of the terrorist threat. He stated that his objective is to “degrade and destroy ISIL through a comprehensive and sustained counter terrorist strategy.” He reiterates that his plan includes strategic air strikes and does not include ground combat.

President Obama delivers his speech with confidence that this plan will protect our nation from the terrorist threat of ISIL. He also uses his hands motions to show his strength as a leader. These hand motions show his confidence in the plan he is proposing. He pulls at one’s national pride when he states, “If you threaten America you will find no safe haven.”

The most effective part of his speech is at the end when he recalls some of America’s setbacks but more importantly how we have bounced back as a strong nation. He mentions how are nation was able to come together to get past the tragedy of 9/11 and move past our economic setbacks to illustrate the strength of our country. Also, he explains how our country is thriving in technology, manufacturing, energy studies, and job creation.

The media truth that sticks out the most in President Obama’s speech is truth one, which is that media are essential components of our lives. Without media the public would not be able to watch the President deliver his speech. Actually watching the speech gives a special perspective because one can see the manner in which he delivers the speech instead of only the word of his speech. Also, the speech is easily available to the public because it was recorded live on most news channels and for people who could not watch it at nine tonight could also find a video of the speech online. It is important that the President takes full advantages of using media to communicate with the public.

Connor Bell- President Obama's Adress Regarding ISIL

“We will degrade and ultimately destroy ISIL through a comprehensive terrorism strategy.” This was said by a very serious President Barrack Obama, who from the start was patriotic, stern, and firm in deliverance of his address on how to deal with the terrorist group ISIL. Whether it was calling out ISIL’s name meaning “The Islamic State,” because “Islam does not teach ruthless genocide of it’s own men, women, and children,” or reminding us that ISIL’s growing threat hits close to home by remembering the executions of the two American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff, Obama made sincere direct eye contact with the camera throughout his whole speech. Obama looked especially stern when he included that some Americans in the Middle East have actually joined the ISIL side in this fight, and can possibly bring the hardened war skills and hatred mentality back into the United States to cause harm to our nation. But in the midst of addressing these threats, the president assured all of us that ISIL will be dealt with by “strength and resolve;” but this will not be a traditional military strategy with ground forces and air forces. American forces are in Syria, but they are only there for bomb runs and instructing local soldiers, not fighting on the ground on the front lines with the local soldiers. This plan sounded well thought out and Obama named many sources in his cabinet and military generals who could attest to the success of this strategy, with over 150 successful bombings in 1 month. But what the President said best in his entire speech I believe was these lines, “If you threaten America, you will find no safe haven.” This was Obama’s most effective message, because it got me fired up to be an American and just made me feel so patriotic. This quote also brings me to the one media truth that I found in Obama’s address, “everything that happened in the past will happen again.” Because hundreds of terrorist groups have threatened, planned to attack and attacked America and it’s citizens, this cycle has shown to repeat itself on numerous occasions in recent years. However, America is always ready to hunt down these people and organizations and punish them to the full extent of American law. That is what we do best because we are America; we stand for freedom, justice, and dignity of all peoples, and its is our job to help people achieve those rights in every single country.