Political Quotes

Barack Obama: “Al-Qaeda and ISIL and groups like it are desperate for legitimacy. They try to portray themselves as religious leaders…”

On the recordFebruary 17, 2015
Al-Qaeda and ISIL and groups like it are desperate for legitimacy. They try to portray themselves as religious leaders, holy warriors in defense of Islam. That's why ISIL presumes to declare itself the Islamic state. And they propagate the notion that America and the west, generally, is at war with Islam. That's how they recruit. That's how they tyranicalize (ph) young people.
Said by
Barack Obama
Democratic · Illinois

Editor's note · Context

President Obama discusses the motivations of ISIS and Al-Qaeda in seeking legitimacy and how they manipulate religious narratives to recruit followers.

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