Antalya (Turkey), Nov. 16 (The Telegraph): POTUS finally came out all guns blazing.President Barack Obama, under attack at home for underestimating the strength of the Islamic State (IS) and being faint-hearted in taking the battle to the terrorists, said it would be insane to send ground troops into Syria.

"I have never hesitated to act if it is determined that a particular course of action will work," Obama told a group of American journalists who appeared to needle him with questions about his leadership in times of crisis, especially after the attacks in Paris seemed to indicate that this could just as easily have happened in any US city.

"Why can't we go and take out those bastards?" an American journalist had asked, which triggered Obama's outburst.

The President of the United States (POTUS) has been slammed in America's leading newspapers for being too weak-willed and unable to come up with a strategy to contain the IS.

"Some critics think that if I was more bellicose in saying something, then it would make a real difference," he told reporters at a media conference after the G20 summit.

"I do not take actions that will work politically or make America, in some abstract manner, tough; or make me look tough," Obama said.

"I cannot afford to play political games," he said, clearly unsettled by the persistent questioning about his inability to act against the terrorists. "I will do everything to keep America safe."

The US President said his defence and civilian staff had no doubt that it would be insane to send ground troops into Syria. "But Syria is not the only place where the terrorists are active. We could see similar actions in Iraq or Yemen. Would you want me to send troops there as well," he asked his questioner.

He said his critics were suggesting courses of action without realising that many of those ideas were already being implemented without being advertised.

"Let my critics suggest a plan. I am ready to sit down and discuss it with them. But I am not interested in pursuing slogans that have no relationship with protecting Americans or their allies. I am just too busy for that," he said.

Sloganeering and public posturing has become commonplace in the US, which heads for a crucial presidential election next year.

He said no country could do very much to deal with a bunch of killers who had "fantasies of glory" and were prepared to die to attain it. He said there was little use in pushing troops into enemy territory "if we do not have local people who are ready to push for their own governance".

Obama said it was possible for the IS to act in the manner they have done because they are able to rope in people who are prepared to commit to "some twisted ideology".

He said the IS did not represent Islam and their ideology had been rejected by the majority of the Muslims. "The overwhelming majority of Muslims are tolerant. The terrorists have no connection with Islam. I do think that Muslims around the world have to ask how these extremist ideologies have come to represent Islam," he said. "That feeling has to come from the Muslims themselves. The pushback has to come from the Muslims and those ideas have to be challenged."

Obama said the refugees fleeing Syria had already suffered the consequences of terrorism. They need to be welcomed with open arms and not reviled or subjected to a religion test to gain admission.

Some European politicians have been suggesting that they were ready to welcome only Christians from the trouble spots in West Asia. "We cannot have religion tests to show our compassion," he said.

Obama advised people in leadership in Europe, or those with any sort of platform, to air their views, not to feed "those dark impulses".

"We do not discriminate against people because of their faith. That's what makes us different," he added.

Obama said these nations should accept the refugees after screening them. "Slamming our doors on these refugees will amount to a betrayal of our core values," he added.

The US President said he had many differences with George Bush Jr. But added that he was proud of him when Bush told people in America after the 9/11 attacks that "this was not about Islam". "On this, they (his critics) should follow Bush's line whether they are European or American."

Obama said there would be an intensification of the strategy that he had put forward. "But it will take time," he said even as he called for greater support from the rest of the world to tackle the menace of terrorism.

Earlier in the day, the G20 came out with a separate statement on terrorism that expressed its resolve to "work together to prevent and suppress terrorist acts through increased international solidarity and cooperation".

The G20 nations also said they would cooperate on the exchange of information and freezing terrorist assets, and clamp down on all forms of terrorist financin

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