WASHINGTON, Jan. 10 (UPI) -- As details of the tragedy in Arizona unfold, Americans should focus on the courage people displayed during the shooting spree, President Obama said Monday.
"I think it's important for us to also focus ... on the extraordinary courage that was shown during the course of these events: a 20-year-old college student who ran into the line of fire to rescue his boss, a wounded woman who helped secure the ammunition that might have caused even more damage, the citizens who wrestled down the gunman," Obama said during a media availability with French President Nicolas Sarkozy. "Part of what I think that speaks to is the best of America, even in the face of such mindless violence."
He said the nation was "still grieving and in shock from the tragedy that took place" Saturday when a gunman opened fire at a political greet-and-meet sponsored by Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., who was shot in the head and was hospitalized in serious condition. Six people died and 14 people, including Giffords, were wounded in the rampage outside of a Tucson grocery store.
Obama also offered condolences to Sarkozy over two French citizens killed after being kidnapped in Niger.
"It points to the challenge of terrorism that we jointly share," Obama said, "and this is just one more area in which cooperation between France and the United States is so critical."
"Both the U.S. and France are determined to stand firm as allies on this issue of terrorism," Sarkozy said through a translator. "Both of us believe that any show of weakness would be culpable, and we have no choice but to go after these terrorists wherever they may be."
Obama said the bilateral talks included discussion on the Group of Eight and the Group of 20 agendas because although France, the United States and other countries "are in the process of healing and recovering from the disastrous recession that we went through, we're not yet where we want to be."
The U.S. president said he and Sarkozy discussed how the two countries could coordinate agendas to ensure "we are as productive as possible in delivering the kinds of reforms and follow-through that will result in prosperity for peoples around the globe."
Sarkozy said the United States plays such a key role in the world's economy that "we are determined to propose new ideas to get things moving, both within the framework of the G-8 and the G-20."
Other points the two were to discuss over a working lunch included the Middle East, the situation in Ivory Coast, Sudan and Lebanon, Obama said.
Obama also called France one of America's strongest allies.
"French troops have been sacrificing alongside Americans in uniform in Afghanistan," Obama said. "And we are very grateful for those sacrifices. So we will be discussing our strategies there, building off of the discussions" in Lisbon, Portugal, during a NATO summit.
Concerning Iran, the two presidents would discuss the impact sanctions are having on its nuclear program and "our hope that we can resolve this issue diplomatically," Obama said.
