War & Peace

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.

Sanctions alone could not stop Iran’s nuclear program. But they did help bring Iran to the negotiating table.

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.

Russia's partners... should understand it's best not to mess with us. Thank God, I think no one is thinking of unleashing a large-scale conflict with Russia. I want to remind you that Russia is one of the leading nuclear powers.

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.

Every morning at school - they had schools in those barracks - we started the day with The Pledge of Allegiance to the flag….and there was the American flag flying over the camp. But I could also see the barbed wire fence - and the sentry towers with the machine guns pointed at us - from my schoolhouse window, as I recited the words, “with liberty and justice for all.

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.