Amid expanded US coalition airstrikes against ISIS in Syria and Iraq, world leaders gathered at the United Nations General Assembly in New York this week. Discussing an international strategy to combat the extremist group was at the top of the agenda. In a speech laden with references to religion, President Obama said military action was necessary because of ISIS’s brutal aggression:

President Obama: “No God condones this terror. No grievance justifies these actions. There can be no reasoning, no negotiation with this brand of evil. The only language understood by killers like this is the language of force.”

The president emphasized that America is not at war with Islam.