Hillary Clinton Presidential Campaign, 2016#Isis

Hillary Clinton Democratic presidential nominee Running mate: Tim Kaine

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The 2016 presidential candidates quickly took to Twitter and their websites to release statements expressing their support for the people of France after members of the Islamic State (ISIS) killed at least 129 people and wounded more than 350 during a terrorist attack that occurred at six separate locations in Paris on November 13, 2015.^[2] After statements of support and condolence were issued, the candidates shifted to policy and politics, each explaining how they would handle ISIS as commander-in-chief.

The terrorist attacks changed the topic of CBS' November 14, 2015, Democratic primary debate from the economy and domestic issues to foreign policy and ISIS. Hillary Clinton sought to demonstrate that, as a former secretary of state, she was the candidate with the most foreign policy experience and in the best position to handle ISIS. Her Democratic presidential rivals, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and former Gov. Martin O'Malley (D-Md.), criticized her vote to authorize the use of force in Iraq, which Sanders said led to the rise of ISIS.^[3]

Republican candidates criticized President Barack Obama's strategy for handling ISIS and for saying hours before the attack that the terrorist group was "contained." GOP candidates also accused Clinton—a former member of the Obama administration—for playing a role in the growth of ISIS, a point that was repeated frequently on the campaign trail.^[4][5]

The terrorist attacks in Paris shifted the focus of the 2016 presidential race from domestic issues to the threat that ISIS posed.

See what Hillary Clinton and the 2016 Democratic Party Platform said about ISIS and terrorism below.

Clinton on ISIS and terrorism[edit]

• On September 19, 2016, Hillary Clinton gave a statement about the terrorist attacks in New Jersey, New York, and Minnesota over the previous weekend.^[6]
  • She discussed the importance of supporting local law enforcement in antiterrorism efforts and launching "an intelligence surge to help identify and thwart attacks before they can be carried out." She continued, "In the Middle East, we have to smash ISIS’ strongholds with an accelerated coalition air campaign, more support for Arab and Kurdish forces on the ground and intense diplomatic efforts in Syria, Iraq and across the region."
  • When asked to comment on whether Donald Trump's immigration proposals should be considered given one alleged perpetrator was an Afghan immigrant, she said, "But let us remember, there are millions and millions of naturalized citizens in America from all over the world. There are millions of law-abiding peaceful Muslim-Americans. This is the kind of challenge that law enforcement can be and is prepared to address, namely going after anyone who would threaten the United States. So I am absolutely in favor of and have long been an advocate for tough vetting, for making sure that we don’t let people into this country — and not just people who come here to settle, but we need a better visa system. Let’s remember what happened on 9/11. These were not refugees who got into airplanes and attacked our city and our country. So let’s not get diverted and distracted by the kind of campaign rhetoric we hear coming from the other side."

• In an interview on the morning of June 13, 2016, Clinton declined to use the words “radical Islam” to describe the Orlando mass shooting and responded to Donald Trump’s criticism that she should leave the presidential race because she refused to do so. “I am not going to demonize and demagogue and declare war on an entire religion. That's just plain dangerous, and it plays into ISIS's hand," she said. Clinton continued, “From my perspective, it matters what we do, not what we say. It matters that we got bin Laden, not what name we called him, but if [Trump] is somehow suggesting I don't call this for what it is, he hasn't been listening."^[7]

• On April 10, 2016, Clinton rejected the proposition from Bernie Sanders’ campaign manager Jeff Weaver that she supported a foreign policy which enabled the growth of ISIS. She said, “That is beyond absurd. They're saying a lot of things these days and I'm going to let them say whatever they choose to say. But ISIS was primarily the result of the vacuum in Syria caused by Assad first and foremost. Aided and abetted by Iran and Russia, so I think that let's put responsibility where it belongs."^[8]

• At the third Democratic primary debate on December 19, 2015, Clinton discussed her plan to deal with domestic terror threats: "I think there are three things that we have to get right. We have to do the best possible job of sharing intelligence and information. That now includes the internet, because we have seen that ISIS is a very effective recruiter, propagandist and inciter and celebrator of violence. That means we have to work more closely with our great tech companies. They can't see the government as an adversary, we can't see them as obstructionists. We've got to figure out how we can do more to understand who is saying what and what they're planning. And we must work more closely with Muslim-American communities. ... I met with a group of Muslim-Americans this past week to hear from them about what they're doing to try to stop radicalization. They will be our early warning signal. That's why we need to work with them, not demonize them, as the Republicans have been doing."^[9]

• On December 15, 2015, Clinton discussed her "360-degree strategy" to defeat ISIS during a speech at the University of Minnesota-Minneapolis. Her strategy included identifying the network of people who fund ISIS, cutting off online recruitment, “creating stricter screenings for visa applicants who had been to a country in Islamic State-controlled areas in the last five years,” reauthorizing the use of military force against ISIS and working with Muslim-American communities to combat homegrown radicalization. She also warned against using anti-Muslim rhetoric. She said, "We are in it for the long haul and we will stand taller and stronger than they could possibly imagine. Shallow slogans don't add up to a strategy. Promising to carpet bomb until the desert glows doesn't make you sound strong -- it makes you sound like you're in over your head. Bluster and bigotry are not credentials for becoming commander-in-chief."^[10]

• Clinton said on December 6, 2015, that she would not use the term “radical Islam” because it “sounds like we are declaring war against a religion.” She continued, “It doesn't do justice to the vast number of Muslims in our country and around the world who are peaceful people. … [It] helps to create this clash of civilizations that is actually a recruiting tool for ISIS and other radical jihadists who use this as a way of saying, 'We are in a war against the West -- you must join us.’”^[11]

• Clinton reiterated her opposition to deploying thousands of troops in Syria and Iraq. In an excerpt of an interview with CBS’ Charlie Rose that aired on December 1, 2015, she said, "I cannot conceive of any circumstances where I would agree to do that because I think the best way to defeat ISIS is, as I’ve said, from the air which we lead, on the ground, which we enable, empower, train, equip and in cyberspace where don’t forget they are a formidable adversary online. … We don’t know yet how many Special Forces might be needed, how many trainers and surveillance and enablers might be needed, but in terms of thousands of combat troops like some on the Republican side are recommending, I think that should be a non-starter.”^[12]

• Clinton gave a speech at the Council on Foreign Relations on November 19, 2015, where she discussed her plan to defeat ISIS. She said, "Our strategy should have three main elements. One, defeat ISIS in Syria, Iraq and across the Middle East; two, disrupt and dismantle the growing terrorist infrastructure that facilitates the flow of fighters, financing arms and propaganda around the world; three, harden our defenses and those of our allies against external and homegrown threats." She called for "a more effective coalition air campaign, with more allied planes, more strikes and a broader target set." Clinton said that the air campaign would need to be accompanied by ground forces. She said, "We can help them, and we should, but we cannot substitute for them. But we can and should support local and regional ground forces in carrying out this mission." Clinton also called on Congress to pass a new war-fighting authority. She said, "And to support this campaign, Congress should swiftly pass an updated authorization to use military force. That will send a message to friend and foe alike that the United States is committed to this fight. The time for delay is over. We should get this done." Clinton also called for mitigating the conflict between Turkey and the Kurds and establishing a second “Sunni Awakening” where local Iraqi citizens fight in militias. To attack the Islamic State’s infrastructure, Clinton argued that foreign banks have an “obligation” to police their systems for money-laundering and other “illicit trade and transactions.”^{[13] [14]}

• In the speech, Clinton also rejected calls to refuse Syrian refugees in the U.S. She said, “Turning away orphans, applying a religious test, discriminating against Muslims, slamming the door on every Syrian refugee—that is just not who we are. We are better than that. And remember, many of these refugees are fleeing the same terrorists who threaten us. It would be a cruel irony indeed if ISIS can force families from their homes, and then also prevent them from ever finding new ones. We should be doing more to ease this humanitarian crisis, not less. We should lead the international community in organizing a donor conference and supporting countries like Jordan, who are sheltering the majority of refugees fleeing Syria.”^[15]

• During CBS' Democratic debate in November 2015, Clinton was asked if the Obama administration, of which she was a member, underestimated ISIS. She replied, "I think that we have to look at ISIS as the leading threat of an international terror network. It cannot be contained, it must be defeated. There is no question in my mind that if we summon our resources, both our leadership resources and all of the tools at our disposal, not just military force, which should be used as a last resort, but our diplomacy, our development aid, law enforcement, sharing of intelligence in a much more open and cooperative way—that we can bring people together. But it cannot be an American fight. And I think what the president has consistently said—which I agree with—is that we will support those who take the fight to ISIS. That is why we have troops in Iraq that are helping to train and build back up the Iraqi military, why we have special operators in Syria working with the Kurds and Arabs, so that we can be supportive. But this cannot be an American fight, although American leadership is essential."^[16]

• When asked for a second time if the administration underestimated ISIS, she said, "Well, John, look, I think that what happened when we abided by the agreement that George W. Bush made with the Iraqis to leave by 2011, is that an Iraqi army was left that had been trained and that was prepared to defend Iraq. Unfortunately, Nouri al-Maliki, the prime minister, set about decimating it. And then, with the revolution against Assad—and I did early on say we needed to try to find a way to train and equip moderates very early so that we would have a better idea of how to deal with Assad because I thought there would be extremist groups filling the vacuum. So, yes, this has developed. I think that there are many other reasons why it has in addition to what happened in the region, but I don't think that the United States has the bulk of the responsibility. I really put that on Assad and on the Iraqis and on the region itself."^[16]

• Read what other 2016 presidential candidates said about ISIS and terrorism.

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See also[edit]

• Hillary Clinton
• Hillary Clinton presidential campaign, 2016
• Hillary Clinton presidential campaign, 2016/Syrian refugees
• 2016 presidential candidates on foreign affairs

Footnotes[edit]

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