The Islamic State or ISIS terrorist organization, who Obama referred to as the “JV team,” took credit for the horrific bombings at an Ariana Grande concert at Manchester Arena in England on Monday that thus far has resulted in the death of 22, many of whom are young teenage girls, and 56 others were injured by the blasts.

European security officials have identified the terrorist as Salman Abedi, 22, a Brit of Libyan descent. And on Tuesday, ISIS issued issued a statement claiming responsibility for the terrorist act, stating that it was an attack against “the Crusaders,” i.e., Christians, a reference to the Crusades, wars that took place several hundred years ago.

As you can see in the full statement below, the terrorist group praised “Allah” and promised that the next act of terror would be “more severe on the worshipers of the Cross,” a clear reference to Christians.

#ISIS releases English-language version of claim for #Manchester bombing pic.twitter.com/j8n6lHt1eQ

— SITE Intel Group (@siteintelgroup) May 23, 2017

During his recent speech in Saudi Arabia, President Donald Trump said that the war on terrorism  “is not a battle between different faiths, different sects, or different civilizations. This is a battle between those who seek to obliterate human life and those who seek to protect it.”

That may be the way most in the Western world sees the fight. It may be the way we wish it were, but barbaric terrorist organizations like ISIS obviously don’t see it that way. To them, it is a “battle between different faiths, different sects, or different civilizations.” In fact, that’s precisely what it is to them, regardless of our political declarations.

Our rhetoric will not change their motives. It is a religious war coming from those within Islam who have the message, “Convert or die.”

To pretend that it’s anything else is wishful thinking at best.