President Barack Obama made it clear Wednesday in his speech that America will not sit silently by as the terrorists group known as Isis continue their attacks all across the Middle East including the beheading of two American journalists.

In a statement addressing the current crisis in Iraq, President Obama announced:

“Our objective is clear: we will degrade, and ultimately destroy, ISIL through a comprehensive and sustained counter-terrorism strategy.”
He plans to do that by authorizing two operations in the country — “targeted airstrikes to protect our American personnel, and a humanitarian effort to help save thousands of Iraqi civilians who are trapped on a mountain without food and water and facing almost certain death.”

The President went on to explain the actions the United States is taking, and why.

President Obama reiterated that the U.S. “cannot and should not intervene every time there’s a crisis in the world,” but explained why the current situation in Iraq requires the U.S. to act — and act now.

When we face a situation like we do on that mountain — with innocent people facing the prospect of violence on a horrific scale, when we have a mandate to help — in this case, a request from the Iraqi government — and when we have the unique capabilities to help avert a massacre, then I believe the United States of America cannot turn a blind eye. We can act, carefully and responsibly, to prevent a potential act of genocide. That’s what we’re doing on that mountain.

The President also said that he understands many people are “rightly concerned about any American military action in Iraq, even limited strikes like these” — and made clear that he “will not allow the United States to be dragged into fighting another war in Iraq.”

“Even as we support Iraqis as they take the fight to these terrorists, American combat troops will not be returning to fight in Iraq,” he said.

You can read Obama’s entire speech at vox.com