(Newswire.net — March 17, 2015) — The rise of Islamic State (IS, also known as ISIS/ISIL) can be directly linked to America’s excursion into Iraq under Bush, back in 2003, US President Barack Obama told Vice News in an interview.
“Two things: One is, ISIL is a direct outgrowth of Al-Qaeda in Iraq that grew out of our invasion,” Obama said in an interview with VICE News. “Which is an example of an unintended consequence. Which is why we should generally aim before we shoot.”
Asked on how ISIS could be stopped, Obama stated that he is “confident” a coalition consisting of 60 nations “will slowly push back ISIL out of Iraq.”
The problem of the great overnight popularity of the ISIS attracting young men and women to fight for it, President Obama sees in a lack of an education and lack of the other perspective.
“What I’m worried about” he said, “is even if ISIL is defeated, the underlying problem of disaffected Sunnis around the world – but particularly in some of these areas including Libya and Yemen – where a young man who’s growing up has no education, has no prospects for the future, is looking around and the one way he can get validation, power, respect, is if he’s a fighter.”
The President dismissed concerns that the US spends too much on foreign aid, explaining that just over one percent of the federal budget goes to other nations. He argued that the US we should be thinking about making long term investments overseas that will prevent America from sending troops to engage in military operations in the future.
Obama Is heavily criticized by opponents for his decision to withdraw the US troops from Iraq in 2011, arguing that he left a ‘window’ for ISIS to grow, especially after the Shia-dominated Iraqi government failed to effectively bring the country’s Sunni minority into the governing process, which resulted in a disaffected ethnic group more willing to join its cause.
In an interview, the US President also said he is concerned about global warming issue. He said the US has to make some long-term moves that would benefit long after his presidency, however unsuccessful and unnecessary it may look at the present moment.
Regarding to often criticism from GOP, Obama said he understands the Republicans are going through a phase in which they are focused on opposing, not seeing the common interest.