Trump on Defeating ISIS

Trump on Defeating ISIS

In his recent speech to a joint session of Congress, President Donald Trump laid out his vision for protecting the United States from terrorist attack and defeating the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, or ISIS:

“Our obligation, is to serve, protect, and defend the citizens of the United States. We are also taking strong measures to protect our nation from radical Islamic terrorism.”

The vast majority of individuals convicted for terrorism-related offenses since 9/11 have come to the United States from outside the country. In order to guard against this reality, President Trump said he is proposing improved vetting measures in order to keep out those who would do Americans harm:

“It is not compassionate, but reckless, to allow uncontrolled entry from places where proper vetting cannot occur. Those given the high honor of admission to the United States should support this country and love its people and its values. We cannot allow a beachhead of terrorism to form inside America -- we cannot allow our nation to become a sanctuary for extremists.”

ISIS also poses a threat to American friends and allies. In order to defeat that threat, President Trump directed the Department of Defense to develop a plan to “demolish and destroy” the radical Islamic terrorist organization. ISIS, said President Trump comprises “a network of lawless savages that have slaughtered Muslims and Christians, and men, women, and children of all faiths and beliefs. We will work with our allies, including our friends and allies in the Muslim world, to extinguish this vile enemy from our planet,” he said.

President Trump has also imposed new sanctions on entities and individuals who support Iran's ballistic missile program, and reaffirmed the United States’ unbreakable alliance with the State of Israel.

Going forward, said President Trump, American leadership, will be “based on vital security interests that we share with our allies across the globe.”