“Now is the time to solve this problem, not after the next attack”, Clinton said. Bush offered no specifics, but said the number of Americans sent to the region should be “in line with what our military generals recommend, not politicians”. Therefore, we must choose resolve. This is a worldwide fight, and American must lead it. She noted that USA goals in the region have shifted as ISIS has expanded its reach and its threat has evolved.
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“The United States must work with Europe to dramatically and immediately improve intelligence sharing and counter-terrorism coordination”, she said. Though she had added in follow up answers that the USA had to lead the fight in a coalition, Republican candidates have seized on the sound bite.
The Paris terrorist attacks, as well as recent attacks in Beirut, Nairobi and perhaps Egypt, could make Clinton’s foreign policy credentials more of an electoral asset.
The speech is noteworthy on another level: She has effectively leveraged a public forum (the Council on Foreign Relations) to present a detailed, comprehensive and cogent plan for conducting the war of Islamic extremism, although she declined to label it as such.
Clinton added taking on ISIS means more than just combating the terrorist group in a physical capacity, the United States must also target the “ideological movement of radical jihadism”. Since the Paris terror attacks, are you being more cautious?
Clinton also said she believes that Russian President Vladimir Putin may be prepared to cooperate more with the USA effort against the Islamic State, which has taken responsibility for blowing up a Russian airliner over the Sinai Peninsula late last month. And she acknowledged that the USA desire to see the ouster of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who she said has slaughtered more Syrians than terrorists have, isn’t a top priority.
Her command of the subject matter sets her apart from numerous Republican candidates who still struggle to speak with confidence about foreign policy issues.
“Once and for all, the Saudis, the Qataris, and others need to stop their citizens from directly funding extremist organizations.”
“Let’s not be naive about it”, said Sanders, noting that Clinton collected millions in campaign donations from Wall Street bankers.
The Islamic State uses the internet as a potent communication and recruitment tool.
“No, I am not a pacifist”.
“I don’t think she has to prove her bona fides or her principles when it comes to national security”. “But even when I was still there, which is publicly known, I thought we needed to do more earlier to try to identify indigenous Syrian fighters, so-called “moderates” … that we could have done more to help them in their fight against Assad”.
Still, Clinton’s appearance also reflected the contradictions of her presidential bid.
“Hillary Clinton has demonstrated she is the wrong person to take on and defeat the growing threats facing the United States”.
“Islam is not our adversary”, she said, arguing that demonizing the religion, “gives these criminals, these murderers, more standing than they deserve”. She asked for more “flexibility” for US Special Operations forces to work alongside the Sunnis and Kurds to oppose IS, and would like President Obama to consider sending in more troops.
Since Muslims have nothing whatsoever to do with terrorism, the phrase “radical Islamic terrorism” is forbidden. Clinton has also called for a no-fly zone in northern Syria, a policy that a few critics including Robert Gates have said would be tough to implement. “We must deny them virtual territory, just as we deny them actual territory”.
She sensibly poured cold war on attempts by the Obama administration to claim that Russia’s intervention can be a force for good: “President Putin is actually making things somewhat worse”, she said, again seeming to disavow one of her prior policies without explanation – in this case the “reset” with Russian Federation.
She said the Obama administration has focused too much on ousting Assad instead battling IS.
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Clinton also urged Congress to pass “swiftly” an updated authorization to use military force against the militants.
