English subtitles for clip: File:President Obama Makes a Statement on Iraq - 080714.ogv

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The President: Good evening.

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Today I authorized two
operations in Iraq -- targeted

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airstrikes to protect
our American personnel,

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and a humanitarian effort to
help save thousands of Iraqi

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civilians who are trapped on a
mountain without food and water

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and facing almost certain death.

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Let me explain the actions
we're taking and why.

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First, I said in June -- as the
terrorist group ISIL began an

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advance across Iraq -- that the
United States would be prepared

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to take targeted military
action in Iraq if and when

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we determined that the
situation required it.

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In recent days, these terrorists
have continued to move across

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Iraq, and have neared
the city of Erbil,

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where American diplomats and
civilians serve at our consulate

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and American military
personnel advise Iraqi forces.

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To stop the advance on Erbil,
I've directed our military

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to take targeted strikes
against ISIL terrorist

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convoys should they
move toward the city.

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We intend to stay vigilant, and
take action if these terrorist

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forces threaten our personnel
or facilities anywhere in Iraq,

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including our consulate in Erbil
and our embassy in Baghdad.

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We're also providing urgent
assistance to Iraqi government

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and Kurdish forces so they
can more effectively wage

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the fight against ISIL.

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Second, at the request of
the Iraqi government --

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we've begun operations to
help save Iraqi civilians

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stranded on the mountain.

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As ISIL has marched
across Iraq, it has waged

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a ruthless campaign
against innocent Iraqis.

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And these terrorists have been
especially barbaric towards

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religious minorities, including
Christian and Yezidis,

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a small and ancient
religious sect.

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Countless Iraqis
have been displaced.

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And chilling reports describe
ISIL militants rounding

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up families, conducting
mass executions,

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and enslaving Yezidi women.

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In recent days, Yezidi
women, men and children

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from the area of Sinjar
have fled for their lives.

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And thousands -- perhaps tens of
thousands -- are now hiding high

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up on the mountain, with little
but the clothes on their backs.

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They're without food,
they're without water.

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People are starving.

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And children are
dying of thirst.

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Meanwhile, ISIL forces
below have called for

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the systematic destruction
of the entire Yezidi people,

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which would constitute genocide.

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So these innocent families are
faced with a horrible choice:

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descend the mountain
and be slaughtered,

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or stay and slowly die
of thirst and hunger.

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I've said before, the United
States cannot and should not

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intervene every time there's
a crisis in the world.

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So let me be clear about why
we must act, and act now.

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When we face a situation like
we do on that mountain -- with

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innocent people facing the
prospect of violence on a

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horrific scale, when we have a
mandate to help -- in this case,

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a request from the Iraqi
government -- and when we

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have the unique capabilities
to help avert a massacre,

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then I believe the United
States of America cannot

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turn a blind eye.

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We can act, carefully
and responsibly,

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to prevent a potential
act of genocide.

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That's what we're
doing on that mountain.

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I've, therefore, authorized
targeted airstrikes,

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if necessary, to help forces
in Iraq as they fight

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to break the siege of
Mount Sinjar and protect

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the civilians trapped there.

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Already, American aircraft have
begun conducting humanitarian

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airdrops of food and water
to help these desperate men,

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women and children survive.

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Earlier this week, one
Iraqi in the area cried

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to the world, "There is
no one coming to help."

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Well today, America
is coming to help.

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We're also consulting
with other countries --

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and the United Nations
-- who have called for

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action to address this
humanitarian crisis.

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I know that many of you are
rightly concerned about

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any American military action
in Iraq, even limited

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strikes like these.

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I understand that.

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I ran for this office in
part to end our war in Iraq

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and welcome our troops home,
and that's what we've done.

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As Commander-in-Chief, I will
not allow the United States

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to be dragged into fighting
another war in Iraq.

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And so even as we support Iraqis
as they take the fight to these

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terrorists, American combat
troops will not be returning to

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fight in Iraq, because there's
no American military solution

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to the larger crisis in Iraq.

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The only lasting solution is
reconciliation among Iraqi

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communities and stronger
Iraqi security forces.

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However, we can and should
support moderate forces

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who can bring
stability to Iraq.

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So even as we carry
out these two missions,

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we will continue to pursue a
broader strategy that empowers

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Iraqis to confront this crisis.

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Iraqi leaders need to come
together and forge a new

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government that represents the
legitimate interests of all

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Iraqis, and that can fight back
against the threats like ISIL.

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Iraqis have named
a new President,

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a new Speaker of Parliament,
and are seeking consensus

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on a new Prime Minister.

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This is the progress that needs
to continue in order to reverse

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the momentum of the terrorists
who prey on Iraq's divisions.

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Once Iraq has a new government,
the United States will work with

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it and other countries in the
region to provide increased

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support to deal with
this humanitarian crisis

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and counterterrorism challenge.

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None of Iraq's neighbors have
an interest in this terrible

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suffering or instability.

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And so we'll continue to work
with our friends and allies

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to help refugees get the
shelter and food and water they

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so desperately need, and to help
Iraqis push back against ISIL.

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The several hundred American
advisors that I ordered to Iraq

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will continue to assess what
more we can do to help train,

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advise and support Iraqi
forces going forward.

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And just as I consulted
Congress on the decisions

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I made today, we will continue
to do so going forward.

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My fellow Americans,
the world is confronted

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by many challenges.

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And while America has never
been able to right every

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wrong, America has made
the world a more secure

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and prosperous place.

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And our leadership is necessary
to underwrite the global

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security and prosperity that our
children and our grandchildren

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will depend upon.

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We do so by adhering to
a set of core principles.

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We do whatever is necessary
to protect our people.

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We support our allies
when they're in danger.

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We lead coalitions of countries
to uphold international norms.

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And we strive to stay true to
the fundamental values -- the

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desire to live with basic
freedom and dignity --

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that is common to human
beings wherever they are.

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That's why people all
over the world look

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to the United States
of America to lead.

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And that's why we do it.

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So let me close by assuring you
that there is no decision

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that I take more seriously than
the use of military force.

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Over the last several years, we
have brought the vast majority

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of our troops home from
Iraq and Afghanistan.

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And I've been careful to
resist calls to turn time

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and again to our military,
because America has

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other tools in our arsenal
than our military.

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We can also lead with the
power of our diplomacy,

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our economy, and our ideals.

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But when the lives of American
citizens are at risk,

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we will take action.

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That's my responsibility
as Commander-in-Chief.

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And when many thousands
of innocent civilians

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are faced with the danger
of being wiped out,

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and we have the capacity
to do something about

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it, we will take action.

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That is our responsibility
as Americans.

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That's a hallmark of
American leadership.

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That's who we are.

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So tonight, we give thanks to
our men and women in uniform --

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especially our brave pilots
and crews over Iraq who are

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protecting our fellow Americans
and saving the lives of so many

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men, women and children
that they will never meet.

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They represent American
leadership at its best.

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As a nation, we should
be proud of them,

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and of our country's enduring
commitment to uphold our own

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security and the dignity
of our fellow human beings.

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God bless our Armed
Forces, and God bless

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the United States of America.