President Barack Obama came under fire on social media for his comments at the White House Summit to Counter Extremism.
Conservative media critics, such as Breitbart’s senior editor-at-large, Joel Pollak, condemned the president for failing to mention Islam, radical Islam or anything about the religious ideology they believe drives Islamic State militants.
The president had said it is "an ugly lie" that the West is at war with Islam. In a small sample from Twitter users Thursday, this remark semed to prompt the most responses from all sides of the political spectrum.
U.S. Senator John McCain, an Arizona Republican, quickly responded with the tweet: "The notion that radical Islam isn't at war with the West is an ugly lie."
Fox News Channel contributor Katie Pavlich tweeted "[W]e cannot coexist with those who want to kill us. Period."
Meanwhile, Canadian Maher Arar tweeted that the summit "should have been named 'Countering Violent Islamic Extremism' bc that's what it's about."
Similarly, a tweeter from New Orleans who goes by "Saleem" opined: "What is fascinating to me is pres. obama saying islam [does not equal ] terrorism...yet he has a whole conference on extremism focusing on muslims."
The president's suggestion that extremist terror groups focus on trying to recruit Muslim youths trapped in poverty also prompted numerous reactions.
Jim Sciutto, CNN's chief national security correspondent, tweeted that Obama, in identifying oppression and a lack of economic opportunity as root causes of extremism, was " laying out a long, long war."
Numerous other tweets, most of them right-leaning, suggested the president wanted to give jobs to the extremists.
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Dan Gordon @Phana24JG 2h2 hours ago
@DonOkereke @PeterRNeumann @WarProf Has our Dear Leader informed the Islamists and Salafists? They didn't get the memo. #CVESummit
Bridget Johnson @Bridget_PJM 1m1 minute ago
The #CVESummit might be more credible if the administration didn't regularly get PO'd at countries that crack down hard on terrorists
Husain Haqqani @husainhaqqani 17h17 hours ago
The last thing #IS #Daesh #Jihadis fear is another conference & more speeches in Washington. #CVESummit
R.E.A.L Human Rights @realhumanrights 1m1 minute ago
#CVESummit what is a counter-extremist narrative going to based on - if it won't be based on our universal human rights?
Global Voices @globalvoices 15m15 minutes ago
"We are not at war with #Islam. We are at war with people who have perverted Islam." - Obama http://bit.ly/1G7DCbI #CVESummit
EUROPOLITICS @EUROPOLITICS_sa 46s47 seconds ago
MT @EUCouncilTVNews: EUHR @FedericaMog on Countering Violent #Extremism @WhiteHouse #CVESummit http://bit.ly/1G7Tvij
George Diepenbrock @gdiepenbrock 53s53 seconds ago
#KUresearch experts can speak about #terrorism as President Obama addresses extremism at #CVESummit http://bit.ly/17hqVz5
Katie Pavlich @KatiePavlich 48s48 seconds ago
Apparently Obama doesn't understand ISIS *IS* legitimate. Tens of thousands of fighters, millions of dollars & huge territory #CVESummit
Adeola Onafuwa @deola_O 45s46 seconds ago
Obama stresses that religious clerics should do more in correcting the idea that we're experiencing a clash of civilizations. #CVESummit
Dr Nazreen Kadir @lettywho1 27s28 seconds ago
It's religion, not war?
#Obama: Countering #ViolentExtremism begins w political/civic & relig leaders rejecting sectarian strife
#CVESummit
Abdullah Bozkurt @abdbozkurt 2m2 minutes ago
@BarackObama emphasizes independent judiciary, freedom of speech/ religion & freedom for civil society in tackling extremism at #CVESummit
Steve Dapkus @quizario 26s27 seconds ago
It's impossible to defeat or end something you want to integrate into your life. #CVESummit
CNN Breaking News @cnnbrk 7m7 minutes ago
Obama at #CVESummit: Notion that West is at war with Islam "an ugly lie,” and all have responsibility to reject it. http://cnn.it/1zQXFWm
Fox News @FoxNews 18m18 minutes ago
“All of us have a responsibility to refute the notion that groups like ISIL somehow represent Islam
Countering Violent Extremism” should have been named “Countering Violent Islamic Extremism” bc that's what it's about. #CVESummit
- Maher Arar (@ArarMaher) February 19, 2015
saleem, a. @angbe3n 1h1 hour ago
what is fascinating to me is pres. obama saying islam≠terrorism...yet he has a whole conference on extremism focusing on muslims #CVESummit
Embassy of Jordan @JoEmbassyUS 35m35 minutes ago
Minister @NasserJudeh #CVESummit: "We in the region - particularly Jordan - we will lead & assume our responsibility"
Jim Sciutto @jimsciutto 18m18 minutes ago
In identifying root causes of extremism - oppression, lack of economic opportunity - POTUS is laying out a long, long war #CVESummit
Matt Yglesias @mattyglesias 26m26 minutes ago
Time for Obama to admit the “I” in ISIS stands for Islamic -> http://vox.com/e/7829184?utm_campaign=vox&utm_content=chorus&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter …
Stand Up South Sudan @StandUpSSudan 58m58 minutes ago
#CVESummit: A stable #SouthSudan is a strategic partner for the US against global extremism and terror.
Ahmed Allam @AhmedAllam01 1h1 hour ago From Cairo
Obama's speech today at the #CVEspeakout #CVESummit is the raw material of perfection. #ThanksObama