Clinton urges war on Islamic State not Muslims
Date
11/15/2015 3:39:18 AM
Des Moines United States:White House hopeful Hillary Clinton called for global unity to crush the Islamic State group as the carnage in Paris took center stage at Saturday's Democratic presidential debate.
The three candidates began their debate with a moment of silence for the victims in France bringing Friday's horrific attacks an ocean away to the forefront of the White House race as they dominated the first half hour of the political showdown.
Clinton liberal US Senator Bernie Sanders and former Maryland governor Martin O'Malley united in calling for the destruction of the jihadists accused of massacring at least 129 people in the French capital.
"We are not at war with Islam" said the former secretary of state choosing her words with care as she warned ordinary Muslims should not be viewed as a threat. "We are at war with violent extremism."
"Our prayers are with the people of France tonight but that is not enough" she said. "We need to have a resolve that will bring the world together to root out the kind of radical jihadist ideology that motivates organizations like ISIS a barbaric ruthless violent jihadist terrorist group."
The Islamic State group (ISIS or IS) claimed responsibility for the coordinated attacks on a Paris concert hall restaurants and bars and outside France's national stadium -- calling it retribution for French air strikes in Syria.
"It cannot be contained it must be defeated" Clinton said of the group which has overrun swathes of Syria and Iraq.
AFP