Obama: Attending Climate Conference Shows ISIS I’m ‘Not Afraid’ [Full Presser]

BARACK OBAMA: "I guess you want to know how the atmosphere, as a consequence of the attack in Paris would affect it.  Look, I think it is absolutely vital for every country, every leader to send a signal that the viciousness of a handful of killers does not stop the world from doing vital business, and that Paris — one of the most beautiful, enticing cities in the world — is not going to be cowered by the violent, demented actions of a few.  

"And that’s part of the overall message that I want to very clearly send the American people.  We do not succumb to fear.  That’s the primary power that these terrorists have over us.  They cannot strike a mortal blow against the United States, or against France, or against a country like Malaysia.  But they can make people fearful.  And that’s understandable, because that could have been us; that could have been our families; that could have been our children in these places.  And our hearts are broken when we see these images.  

"But in addition to hunting down terrorists, in addition to effective intelligence, and in addition to missile strikes, and in addition to cutting off financing and all the other things that we’re doing, the most powerful tool we have to fight ISIL is to say that we’re not afraid; to not elevate them; to somehow buy into their fantasy that they’re doing something important.  They’re a bunch of killers.  And there have been people throughout human history who can find an excuse to kill people because they don’t think like them or look like them.  And we fight them, and we beat them, and we don’t change our institutions and our culture and our values because of them.