President Barack Obama took various questions from U.S. veterans, service members and their family members in the Presidential Town Hall meeting hosted by Jake Tapper on CNN Tuesday night in Fort Lee, Virginia.
One of the first questions asked during the forum was whether or not the president ever second-guessed any decisions he made in regards to Syria.
"We have by a mile the greatest military on earth." We will always be in a position to defend the U.S., our people, our property, and our allies, but there will be some bad things around the world and we have to think about whether or not inserting troops is a good idea," said Obama.
Obama also spoke about the opposition to the decisions he made in how he and his administration approached the conflict in Syria.
"Critics of mine have suggested that if early on you had provided sufficient support to a moderate opposition, they might have been able to overthrow a murderous Assad regime," said Obama.
The president then pointed out that, at the time, there were many factors at play in Syria, and that things like Russia supporting to Syrian government and the concurrent situations in Iraq and Afghanistan complicated matters in the war-torn country.
Obama also had to address San Francisco 49er Colin Kaepernick's national anthem protests during the town hall. The president acknowledged that part of living in America is learning to live with the self-expression of others and that he supported the QB's right to express himself.
However, Obama made it clear that he hoped Kaepernick and the others following suit were aware of how their protests were affecting others.
#commanderinchief showing us all what it means to lead with authority, humility & transparency at the #ObamaTownHall
— Kessaya (@Kessaya) September 29, 2016
Thanks, Obama. @POTUS
Meanwhile, many people were inspired by Obama online.
Wow. 98-year-old WWII female vet in the house. Amazing. #ObamaTownHall
— Herb Scribner (@HerbScribner) September 29, 2016
Many were also excited to see a WWII vet get a shoutout on TV.
Obama: I’d like to see more young people serve in the military https://t.co/cyZwbt1gcH #ObamaTownHall https://t.co/DtdhHsuWyP
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) September 29, 2016
The president mentioned how he would like to see more young people serve in the military.
President Obama: Why I won't say "Islamic terrorism" https://t.co/O32KNLKyeV #ObamaTownHall https://t.co/12IV6sPYB3
— CNN (@CNN) September 29, 2016
President Obama explained why he won't say "Islamic Terrorism."
Watch highlights from CNN's #ObamaTownHall in under two minutes https://t.co/F2mZJeteO8 pic.twitter.com/KAqNNPWQSL
— CNN (@CNN) September 29, 2016
Here's a full recap of President Obama's Town Hall