Republican candidates react to Paris attacks
A roundup of statements
How the Republican candidates react to the vicious terrorist attacks in Paris tells us something about their attitude towards Islamic terrorism in general (for example, do they use the phrase?) and what to do about it.
The first response I read early today was from Ben Carson. An excerpt:
I think America’s involvement should be trying to eliminate them completely,’ he said. ‘Destroy them!’
“There are those out there who have a thirst for innocent blood, in an attempt to spread their philosophy and their will across this globe…
“I would be working with our allies using every source known to man – in terms of economic resources, in terms of covert resources, overt resources, military resources, things-that-they-don’t-know-about resources, in an attempt not to contain them, but to eliminate them before they eliminate us.
“You have to recognize that the global jihadist movement is an existential threat which is very different than anything that we’ve faced previously…Boots on the ground would probably be important…”
Carson added that no Syrian refugees should be accepted to this country.
Ted Cruz issued a long statement. Here’s a portion of it:
America must stand with our allies against the scourge of radical Islamic terrorism…We need to immediately declare a halt to any plans to bring refugees that may have been infiltrated by ISIS to the United States. We need to redouble our efforts to prevent ISIS agents from penetrating our nation by other means.
We must immediately recognize that our enemy is not ‘violent extremism.’ It is the radical Islamism that has declared jihad against the west. It will not be appeased by outreach or declarations of tolerance. It will not be deterred by targeted airstrikes with zero tolerance for civilian casualties, when the terrorists have such utter disregard for innocent life. We must make it crystal clear that affiliation with ISIS and related terrorist groups brings with it the undying enmity of America—that it is, in effect, signing your own death warrant.
Initially, Trump only responded briefly to say that his prayers are with the victims.
Later Trump observed that if more Parisians were allowed concealed carry, there probably would have been less bloodshed. Then he asked for a moment of silence. He also briefly criticized Obama for having said ISIS is shrinking. But there’s been no comprehensive in-depth statement from him so far.
Carly Fiorina tweeted: “I mourn with you. I pray with you. I stand with you. America must lead in the world. We must wage & win this fight against Islamic terrorism.” Take note of the last two words.
This is Marco Rubio’s clear statement of a war between radical Islam and Western civilization:
Jeb Bush says much the same thing without quite as much detail:
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[ADDENDUM: Here’s a video of Ted Cruz speaking very impressively on the subject.]
[Neo-neocon is a writer with degrees in law and family therapy, who blogs at neo-neocon.]
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Comments
Also – this video from Ted Cruz:
Ted Cruz on Fox and Friends 11-14-2015.
His campaign created a video statement from that appearance:
Our Enemy: Radical Islam.
The shyster Hillary with her twisted phrases could only hope to be as articulate about anything as Marco Rubio is about Islam’s hopes for world dominance, and our need to address them.
Trump has made many substantive comments about ISIS you appear to have missed them. Perhaps unlike the other candidates he was making his substantive comments that fight ISIS BEFORE the Paris attack.
Here is a list of some them.
1. Build Wall
2. Deport Illegals
3. Bomb the shit out of ISIS including their oil fields and refineries.
4. Send in military and take control of oil AND keep the oil revenue to defray past and present military cists.
5. Protect 2nd amendment rights in our homeland.
6. round up and send back to middle east all muslim refugees let into country by Obama.
Trump didn’t need Paris to already be advocating all above.
Trump 2016
Gary Britt:
All the candidates have made many statement about ISIS that are not in this post. That’s because statements about ISIS are not the subject matter of this post.
This post is a roundup of candidates’ statements in reaction to the Paris attacks.
Reaction statements can only be evaluated in the context of each candidates positions and past statements. Your post implies a negative on Trump for not making sustantive comments. I’m merely pointing out such implied crticism is invalid and unwarranted when Trump gave speech the day before Paris attacks statijg once again he would bomb the shit out of ISIS. And while other candidates have made general statements about fighting ISIS Trump has been saying for at least a month no Syrian refugees and those let in by Obama will all be sent back. He has been saying for several months that he would take away their money by bombing oil fields. He is only candidate to say these things and he is visionary enough to not need Paris to advocate these things and more.
Gary Britt:
As I indicated before, my post is a roundup of the statements the major candidates made on the attacks. Trump is a major candidate. I reported what he said, including the fact that “there’s been no comprehensive in-depth statement from him so far.” Others did make such statements, and I reported on that as well.
Any conclusions you draw from that are your own.