Clinton outlines policy on IS in foreign policy speech

“It’s time to begin a new phase and intensify and broaden our efforts to smash the would-be caliphate”, Clinton said.

“To be successful air strikes will have to be combined with ground forces actually taking back more territory from ISIS”.

The former secretary of state says that she is the only primary candidate committed to not raising taxes on average workers.

This escalation of her rhetoric defies recent commentary from foreign policy professionals pointing out that the defeat several days ago of ISIS fighters who’d taken the northern Iraq city of Sinjar and similar battlefield victories in Syria has been partly responsible for a major shift in ISIS thinking; they have adapted to the loss of territory to a policy of world-wide terrorism, something that led to the downfall of Al Qaeda.

After the 9/11 attacks, she said the United States had made a lot of progress breaking down barriers but that Europe was “way behind”.

For instance, while Clinton called for a United States of America effort to support Arab armies on the ground to rout ISIS, she did not explain exactly how that would happen.

The former Secretary of State said in order to accomplish that objective the USA must recognize that ISIS is “demonstrating new ambition, reach, and capabilities” which must stopped. It would also give the U.S. additional “leverage” in negotiations with Russian Federation, Turkey and other nations aimed at ending Syria’s civil war, now in its fifth year.

When American politicians consider solutions to the threat posed by Isis, they tend to favor abstractions over policy detail because, although Americans want to do more to root out Isis, we’re afraid of getting involved in another quagmire in the Middle East.

Islam not the adversary Reiterating her views of terrorists as radical Islamists, Clinton said Islam was not the adversary.

“That is just not the smart move here”, Clinton said, without detailing her plans if regional powers fail to supply more troops and arms for the fight.

On the Syrian refugees, Clinton 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”.

“The bottom line is that we are in a contest of ideas against an ideology of hate, and we have to win”. None other than conservative columnist David Brooks of the NY Times wrote of Clinton’s speech in his column on Friday, ” The speech was very impressive.

Despite her stay-the-course frame, though, Clinton’s general strategy is closer to what numerous Republican presidential candidates are offering.

Clinton joined the president in opposition to that proposal on Thursday. Although she understands there is a role for Russian Federation to help solve the Syrian conflict, Clinton said Assad’s reign has to end.

Here you can see a few differentiation from the Obama air strategy, which has been criticised by a few military analysts as being too timid and too concerned with civilian casualties.

Indicating support for arming Sunni and Kurdish fighters, Clinton said that “Baghdad needs to accept, even embrace, arming Sunni and Kurdish forces in the war against ISIS”.

While Clinton has been careful to avoid criticizing Obama’s approach to the Middle East, she emphasized in her remarks the ways she would tackle the situation differently, including setting up a no-fly zone over Syria.

If there is one thing we have learned over the past 15 years of war, it is that we need a serious force to support local allies.

Sanders’ campaign announced later Thursday that one of New Hampshire’s Service Employees worldwide Union branches, Local 1984, endorsed the senator, breaking ranks with the SEIU executive council, which voted November 17 to endorse Clinton for president.