Obama asks U.N.

to help ght violent groups in the Middle

East
By Los Angeles Times, adapted by Newsela sta
Sep. 25, 2014 1:00 AM
U.S. President Barack Obama (right) holds a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi of Iraq,
Sept. 24, 2014, at the United Nations in New York City. In a speech at the U.N., Obama called on world
leaders to help ght extremist groups.
UNITED NATIONSPresident Barack Obama explained in a speech on Wednesday why the U.S.
was dropping bombs in Iraq and Syria. The U.S. wants to destroy the violent group Islamic State
(ISIL), he said.
The group calls itself the Islamic State of Syria and the Levant (ISIL) and has also been called the
Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). Levant is the English term for the region stretching from
southern Turkey through Syria to Egypt.
ISIL is trying to form a new country in the Middle East. It has already taken over parts of Iraq
and Syria. The group has killed U.S. journalists and local citizens.
There can be no reasoning with this brand of evil, Obama said. The only language understood
by killers like this is the language of force.
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A Network Of Death
Obama spoke to world leaders at the United Nations. He said all countries must work together to
ght violent groups. Obama said religious conict around the world must be stopped.
To ght ISIL and other groups like al-Qaida, Obama hopes to form a coalition. A coalition is many
countries working together. He hopes a coalition will be able to destroy ISIL. He called the group
a network of death.
The U.S. military has been dropping bombs in Iraq and Syria. They have targeted the violent
group. The military said it destroyed eight ISIL vehicles in one bombing.
Videos on Syrian social media showed people looking at destroyed houses. Reports from inside
Syria said some non-ghters, or civilians, died in the bombings.
Still, Obama called for toughness at the U.N. He explained that some people can be motivated by
religion to do terrible things. The world must face these people, he said.
U.S. Will Help Fight Ebola
Groups like ISIL teach hate against people of other religions, Obama said. He called on Muslim
leaders to spread more peaceful ideas. Obama warned that hateful groups could spread through
poor countries in the Middle East and North Africa.
Obama also spoke about foreign ghters. These young men leave their countries to ght with groups
like ISIL. He asked for tougher penalties and more travel restrictions on these ghters.
Obama said the U.S. will train forces in other countries to ght against ISIL. He promised to cut
o the groups money and stop foreign ghters from joining.
We will demonstrate that the future belongs to those who buildnot those who destroy, he
said.
Obama also promised to help control the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. The Ebola disease has
killed 2,600 people in Africa. There are worries it could spread faster.
He had strong words for Russia. Obama said Russia was acting aggressively toward Ukraine. He
said the U.S. will continue to support Ukraine.
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