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December 07, 2015

Schiff Issues Statement on President’s Speech (Crescenta Valley Weekly)

Tonight, Monday, Dec. 7, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank), the Ranking Member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, released the following statement:

“The ISIS-inspired mass shooting in San Bernardino was the realization of our gravest fear after the Paris attacks — that those radicalized by ISIS propaganda here at home would choose now to act on its malicious urgings. The combination of both of these attacks demonstrate the urgency of defeating ISIS and depriving it of the time, resources and space in Iraq, Syria and anywhere else to plot and plan against us.

“When ISIS ceases to hold territory, it will still be a threat for many years to come, but the world will have seriously degraded its perceived aura of invincibility, its capacity to inspire followers and supporters around the world and here at home, and its ability to mount another massive coordinated attack.

 

“Ultimately, ISIS must be defeated on the ideological battlefield as well as militarily. And in this facet of the struggle — as the President pointed out — the Muslim community at home and abroad must be our chief ally. We will continue to work closely with the Islamic community in the United States to identify those at risk of radicalization, and must do far more with the community abroad to counter the pernicious bastardization of the faith that urges the slaughter of innocents.”

 

“I applaud the President for calling on Congress to pass legislation to deprive those on the no fly list of access to weapons and to curtail the wide availability of assault weapons. I also urge Congress to take up an authorization for the use of force against ISIS and end its abdication of responsibility over the war effort. Towards that end, I have been working on a new draft authorization to combat ISIS and Al Qaeda that I plan to present in the coming days.

 

“We are confronting a pernicious enemy that we will fight and defeat. And as we do, and even as we are vigilant, we will hold true to our principles and values by celebrating our freedoms, treating others with respect, and giving refuge to those in need.”


Source: Crescenta Valley Weekly