Brussels: What the U.S. Presidential Candidates Had to Say

As Clarion Project follows each candidates remarks on Islamist extremism, we take a look at how they reacted to news of the March 23 terror attacks.

Presidential Candidates respond to the Islamic State terror attacks in Brussels

See Clarion Project’s profile on each candidate’s position on Islamic extremism

Democrats

Hillary Clinton

I think it’s a mistake – George W. Bush said it – that to do anything that implies that we are at war with an entire religion … with 1.4, 1.2 billion people. It is not only wrong, it is dangerous. You know, right here at home, we need to be reaching out and including Muslim Americans and communities where they live in our first line of defense. We don’t need them to feel that “if they hear something or see something” that they can’t report it. WE want them to be part of our protecting the United States, and the same goes for Europe.

Bernie Sanders

We are not going to undermine the Constitution of the United States of America in order to effectively destroy ISIS.  We can do that, so our goal in this issue is to destroy ISIS in coalition with Muslim nations on the ground with the support of the United States and other major powers. I think we can do that. We are making some progress. We have more to do … We are fighting a terrorist organization, a barbaric organization that is killing innocent people. We are not fighting a religion.

Republicans:

Ted Cruz

 “It is way past time we have a president who will acknowledge this evil and will call it by its name and use the full force and fury to defeat ISIS … We need a president who sets aside political correctness.  We don’t need another lecture about Islamophobia.

“For years, the West has tried to deny this enemy exists out of a combination of political correctness and fear. We can no longer afford either. Our European allies are now seeing what comes of a toxic mix of migrants who have been infiltrated by terrorists and isolated, radical Muslim neighborhoods.”

“We need to empower law enforcement to patrol and secure Muslim neighborhoods before they become radicalized.”

John Kasich

The wave of terror that has been unleashed in Europe and elsewhere around the world are attacks against our very way of life and against the democratic values upon which our political systems have been built.

We and our allies must rededicate ourselves to these values of freedom and human rights. We must utterly reject the use of deadly acts of terror.

We must also redouble our efforts with our allies to identify, root out and destroy the perpetrators of such acts of evil.

Donald Trump

“We need to be vigilant and smart. We [need] to strengthen up our borders … be very careful who let into our country … we have a people in our country right now that probably and definitely have the same feeling of hate as the people in Brussels … The police don’t have control of [Brussels and Paris] right now.

“You have to hit ISIS and you have to hit them so hard and not play Tiddlywinks like they are doing right now.

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