Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump delivered a major speech in Youngstown, Ohio, Monday in which he laid out his vision for combating Islamic terrorism.
Citing the various terror attacks that have taken place all over the country in recent years, most notably in Boston, Orlando, and San Bernardino, Trump argued that the Barack Obama presidency has made America less safe. He repeated past criticisms of the president’s refusal to explicitly acknowledge the fundamental role radical Islam has had in each of the attacks.
“Anyone who cannot condemn the hatred, oppression and violence of radical Islam lacks the moral clarity to serve as our president,” Trump said.
Trump condemned the war in Iraq as a project of “nation-building” and simultaneously characterized President Obama’s decision to withdraw troops from Iraq as naïve. He laid the blame for the rise of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria directly at the feet of the Obama administration.
“That failure to establish a new status of forces agreement in Iraq and the election-driven timetable for withdrawal surrendered our gains in the country and led directly to the rise of ISIS,” Trump said. “Without question.”
He signaled a change of strategy from the Trump administration: “If I become president, the era of nation-building will be brought to a very swift and decisive end.”
Trump did not spare Hillary Clinton in his attacks against the Obama administration. He asserted that Clinton does not have the means to combat terrorism in the Oval Office. Further, he claimed she did not have the “moral character” to serve as Commander-in-Chief.
“Hillary Clinton lacks the judgment…stability and temperament and moral character to lead our nation,” Trump said. “She also lacks the mental and physical stamina to take on ISIS. And all of the many adversaries that we face.”
Among his policy proposals, Trump called for a strengthening of anti-terrorism efforts — including cooperation with international allies — to defeat ISIS and other radical Islamic groups like al-Qaeda, Hamas and Hezbollah.
Specifically, Trump called for an “international conference,” partnering with Israel, King Abdullah of Jordan, Egypt, Russia, “and all others who recognize this ideology of death that must be extinguished.” He also said he would “work very closely with NATO on this new mission.”
“We cannot always choose our friends,” he said. “But we can never fail to recognize our enemies.”
A second facet of the plan was a call for “a new immigration policy.”
“That common thread linking the major terrorist attacks on American soil — 9/11, the Fort Hood shooting, the Boston bombing, the san Bernardino attack, the Orlando attack — is that they have been called immigrants or the children of immigrants. Clearly, new screening procedures are needed.”
Trump cited a review by the U.S. Senate Immigration Subcommittee that “identified 380 foreign-born individuals charged with terrorism or terrorism-related offenses.” He called for the establishment of a “clear principle that will govern all decisions pertaining to any immigration,” noting that this principle will be “tough” and that “extreme vetting” is required.
Candidate Trump proposed limiting the issuance of visas to only those who express a willingness to “embrace a tolerant American society,” attacking Hillary Clinton for proposing to increase the flow of Syrian refugees to America.
Trump also called for an end to political correctness “replacing common sense.”
The female San Bernardino shooter was here on a fiancé visa, which most people have not heard of, from Saudi Arabia and wanted to support openly jihad online. So they were taken in. And neighbor saw a surprising behavior … but didn’t warn authorities because they didn’t want to be accused of racial profiling. Now many are dead and many wounded. The shooter in Orlando reportedly celebrated in his classroom after 9/11. He, too, was interviewed by the FBI. His father, native of Afghanistan, supported the oppressive Taliban regime and expressed anti-American views strongly. And by the way, was just seen sitting behind Hillary Clinton with a big fat smile on face all the way through her speech. He obviously liked what she had to say. It is called weakness, it is called stupidity and we have had it.
The Fort Hood shooters delivered a presentation to a room of mental health experts and threw out one red flag after another. He even proclaimed he love death more than you love life. These warning signs were ignored because of political correctness replacing common sense in our society.
To educate the public on radical Islam, Trump proposed the creation of a commission including reform-minded members of the Muslim community “to identify and explain to the American public the core convictions and beliefs of radical Islam. To identify the warning signs of radicalization and expose the networks in our site that support radicalization.”
With regard to Guantanamo Bay and drone strikes against ISIS in the Middle East, both would carry on under a Trump administration. Donald Trump concluded his remarks with a call for immigrants to this country “to accept the virtues and our way of life.”
“Assimilation is not an act of hostility but an expression of compassion,” he said in closing, praising the American system of government and American culture as the best road to “the best outcome for all those who adopt it.” (For more from the author of “Trump Declares ‘End of Nation Building’ in Major Speech” please click HERE)
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