U.S. President Barack Obama said Thursday that "No God condones terror" in condemning the brutality of the Islamic State militants during a speech in this capital in which he also called the Dalai Lama, who was present, a "good friend."
"We see faith driving us to do right. But we also see faith being twisted and distorted, used as a wedge - or, worse, sometimes used as a weapon," Obama said at the annual National Prayer Breakfast at the Washington Hilton Hotel.
The breakfast is traditionally held on the first Thursday in February and this year Obama, his wife Michelle, and the Dalai Lama were in attendance, along with other personalities.
"From a school in Pakistan to the streets of Paris, we have seen violence and terror perpetrated by those who profess to stand up for faith, their faith, professed to stand up for Islam, but, in fact, are betraying it," Obama said.
The president explicitly condemned the IS and remarked that the jihadist group is a "brutal, vicious death cult that, in the name of religion, carries out unspeakable acts of barbarism."
"As people of faith, we are summoned to push back against those who try to distort our religion - any religion - for their own nihilistic ends," the president said.
On the other hand, despite the fact that he did not meet formally with him nor does he intend to do so, according to the White House, Obama had words of praise for the Dalai Lama in his opening remarks and said that he is "a powerful example of what it means to practice compassion, who inspires us to speak up for the freedom and dignity of all human beings."
"I've been pleased to welcome him to the White House on many occasions, and we're grateful that he's able to join us here today," Obama said.
The Chinese government earlier this week expressed its opposition to a potential meeting between Obama and the Tibetan spiritual leader.
"Any country that interferes in China's internal affairs is making bad use of our relations," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei.
Last February, Obama ignored China's unease over the matter and welcomed the Dalai Lama to the White House for the third time, urging him to engage in a "direct dialogue" with Beijing and reiterating to him that Washington "does not support" independence for Tibet.
China says that Tibet is an inseparable part of its territory, but Tibetans argue that they were independent for a long time until they were occupied by communist troops in 1951. EFE
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