Combating terrorism and keeping the homeland safe
It’s not enough to contain ISIS and the threat of terrorism—we have to defeat it.
Radical jihadists, like so many adversaries in our history, underestimate the strength of our national character. Americans will not cower or cave. And we will not turn on each other or turn on our principles. We will defeat those who threaten us. We will keep our country safe and strong, free and tolerant. And we will always defend our friends and allies.
Hillary, December 6, 2015
The threat we face from terrorism is real, urgent, and knows no boundaries. Horrific attacks like the ones in Paris, Brussels, Orlando, and San Bernardino have made it all too clear: It is not enough to contain ISIS and the threat of radical jihadism—we have to defeat it. Hillary Clinton has laid out a comprehensive plan to do that:
1. Take out ISIS’s stronghold in Iraq and Syria
We have to defeat ISIS on the battlefield by:
- Intensifying the coalition air campaign against ISIS fighters, leaders, and infrastructure;
- Stepping up support for local Arab and Kurdish forces on the ground and coalition efforts to protect civilians; and
- Pursuing a diplomatic strategy aimed at resolving Syria’s civil war and Iraq’s sectarian conflict between Sunnis and Shias—both of which have contributed to the rise of ISIS.
2. Work with our allies to dismantle global terror networks
We have to stem the flow of jihadists from Europe and America to and from Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan. To that end, we must work with our allies to dismantle the global terror network that supplies radical jihadists with money, weapons, and fighters. That means:
- Working hand in hand with European intelligence services to identify and go after enablers who help jihadists forge documents and travel undetected;
- Targeting efforts to deal with ISIS affiliates from Libya to Afghanistan; and
- Working with tech companies to fight jihadist propaganda online, intercept ISIS communications, and track and analyze social media posts to stop attacks—while protecting security and privacy.
3. Harden our defenses at home
We have to do more to identify and stop terrorists—including so-called “lone wolves”—from carrying out attacks in the United States, including:
- Supporting first responders, law enforcement, and intelligence officers with the right tools, resources, intelligence, and training to prevent attacks before they happen;
- Launching an intelligence surge to get security officials the tools they need to prevent attacks;
- Keeping assault weapons and other tools of terror out of terrorists’ hands by allowing the FBI to stop gun sales to suspected terrorists, enacting comprehensive background checks, and keeping military-style assault weapons off our streets; and
- Supporting law enforcement to build trustful and strong relationships with American Muslim communities. We need every American community invested in this fight, not fearful and sitting on the sidelines.
Related:
- Remarks: The terrorist attack in Orlando, Florida
- Remarks: Counterterrorism
- Medium: Americans deserve concrete plans to keep our country safe—not outright lies and bigotry