Obama calls on US to embrace its Muslims

US President Barack Obama says that in the fight against violent extremism, the US must tap its long tradition of warmly embracing its immigrants, including Muslims.

“If we’re going to prevent people from being susceptible to the false promises of extremism, then the international community has to offer something better — and the United States intends to do its part,” Obama tells the White House summit on violent extremism. “That’s the story extremists and terrorists don’t want the world to know: Muslims succeeding and thriving in America,” Obama says.

Calling on the world to broaden its response far beyond military interventions, the US president is expected to speak again today with delegates from about 65 countries who arrived in Washington for the summit’s closing session at the State Department.

— AP