Terrorism
Page 5
- I think what the audience didn’t fully appreciate - and I don’t think that we did until later – is how much we didn’t know. It was the only time in my experience in which you’re on the air for hours and hours and hours without any indication of what may happen next.
- Now let’s make two things clear: ISIL is not ‘Islamic.’ No religion condones the killing of innocents, and the vast majority of ISIL’s victims have been Muslim.
And ISIL is certainly not a state. It was formerly al Qaeda’s affiliate in Iraq, and has taken advantage of sectarian strife and Syria’s civil war to gain territory on both sides of the Iraq-Syrian border. It is recognized by no government, nor the people it subjugates.
ISIL is a terrorist organization, pure and simple. And it has no vision other than the slaughter of all who stand in its way. - We only have one commander in chief. He laid out his plan. I would never tell the enemy what I was willing to do, or unwilling to do. But he is the commander in chief - he made that decision. At this point in time, it’s important that we give the president what he’s asking for. And we gotta keep our eye on the ball. The issue here is about defeating a terrorist threat that is real and imminent.
- When it comes to Iran and ISIS, the enemy of your enemy is your enemy.
- It’s fascinating to watch. Everything I’ve seen from ISIS is almost textbook - professional marketing and messaging. Beheading videos are not unprecedented, but ISIS has been able to use social media to spread their evil on a whole new level.
- We have never been prouder of our son Jim. He gave his life trying to expose the world to the suffering of the Syrian people.
- I don't like to talk badly about the Islamic State too much. At the end of the day, they're my brothers in Islam. But they're making mistakes, and they're too harsh on people, and they don't listen to scholars. I'm 100 percent convinced that they're on the wrong path.
- A ceasefire is what we should prioritize now. A ceasefire protects civilians on both sides. It doesn't just say, "We're only concerned about people on one side." I've been to Sderot, I have stuck with those people, talking about those rockets and that indiscriminate rocket fire - and I've also been to Gaza three times since 2009. And I can tell you, those people are absolutely devastated….we need a ceasefire now.
- Right now, it's the Yazidis. Tomorrow it will be something else. It really is about eradicating anything and everyone that does not resemble [ISIS’] ideology.
- If [President Obama] does not go on the offensive against ISIS…they are coming here. This is just not about Baghdad, this is just not about Syria, this is about our homeland. And if we get attacked because he has no strategy to protect us, then he will have committed a blunder for the ages.
- Congress needs to send a strong signal that direct communication with the leader of the free world is a privilege, particularly for a regime that has been as hostile as Iran has been towards America for more than three decades. President Rouhani needs to take these two simple steps to demonstrate good faith before any further discussions.
- If Assad is eating Cheerios, we're going to take away his spoon and give him a fork. Will that degrade his ability to eat Cheerios? Yes. Will it deter him? Maybe. But he'll still be able to eat Cheerios.