CRI听力:Obama Calls California Shooting Rampage Act of Terrorism

The shooting in San Bernardino, California, left 14 dead and has once-again rekindled debate and fear over terrorism in the United States.

In an attempt to level-off some of those fears, Obama has used the Oval Office speech, only his 3rd as President, to promise resolve in fighting the extremist group.

"The threat from terrorism is real, but we will overcome it. We will destroy ISIL and any other organization that tries to harm us. Our success won't depend on tough talk, or abandoning our values or giving into fear. That's what groups like ISIL are hoping for."

Obama also says "terrorism" itself is evolving to where extremists are using "less complicated acts of violence," such as mass shootings, rather than complex, multi-faceted attacks such as 9/11.

His speech has also reiterated his stand that US ground troops should not be an option in defeating the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq.

Instead, he's used part of his speech to call on the Muslim world itself to do more to stop the extremists.

"We will continue to provide training and equipment to tens of thousands of Iraqi and Syrian forces fighting ISIL on the ground so that we take away their safe havens. In both countries, we're deploying special operations forces who can accelerate that offensive. We've stepped up this effort since the attacks in Paris, and will continue to invest more in approaches that are working on the ground."

Observers are suggesting Obama's speech from the Oval Office is a tactical political decision, as most of his other national addresses have been from the East Room of the White House or the Rose Garden.

By using the Oval Office, observers suggest Obama is hoping to underscore his administration's resolve in fighting the Islamic State.

However, new polling suggests around 60 percent of Americans currently disapprove of Obama's handling of terrorism.

Terrorism experts have accused Obama of lacking clear plan to stabilize the Middle East.

Meanwhile, Obama has also used his national address to make a new call for stronger gun control in the wake of the California mass shooting, which left 14 people dead last week in the city of San Bernadino outside Los Angeles.

Obama's latest proposal for gun control includes a ban on the sale of guns to those who are on a "no-fly list."

So far, the investigators looking into the San Bernadino shootings have not offered a definative motive, something Obama did mention in his speech.

However, it's been widely reported at least one of the shooters, the woman in the husband-and-wife duo, had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State's leader.

Neither had been suspected of being radicalized before launching the attack.

They were later killed by police during a shootout.

For CRI, this is Li Jianhua.