Hillary Clinton:
Hillary Clinton, D, believes that the United States should support its NATO allies and examine the Syrian refugees. Clinton also believes that the U.S. should keep the Syrian refugees stating that the U.S. is a country of resolve not fear. The former secretary of state is also a supporter of the Patriot Act. In addition, she promises to never privatize the Veterans Affairs administration.
“This [Syrian refugee crisis] is a humanitarian catastrophe. The U.S. has to support our allies in Europe. We have to provide financial support. We have to provide the NATO support to back up the mission that is going on. And we have to take properly vetted refugees ourselves.”
Bernie Sanders:
Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., believes that the National Security Administration surveillance system should be shut down, and is also opposed to the Patriot Act. Sanders believes that the Department of Defense should get a budget cut of $18 billion to pay 55 percent of college tuition. The 74-year-old senator believes that Veterans Affairs should be strengthened as opposed to being privatized.
“Well, what exists right now is that virtually every telephone call in this country ends up in a file at the NSA. That is unacceptable to me. But it’s not just government surveillance. I think the government is involved in our emails; is involved in our websites. Corporate America is doing it as well. If we are a free country, we have the right to be free. Yes, we have to defend ourselves against terrorism, but there are ways to do that without impinging on our constitutional rights and our privacy rights.”
Donald Trump:
Donald Trump, R, is a strong believer that followers of Islam fundamentally hate the United States. He believes that waterboarding should be reinstated as an interrogation method and that the government should surveil mosques but not close them down. Trump also said that New Jersey Muslims celebrated after the 9/11 attacks.
“Well, we have to be strong. You know, they don’t use waterboarding over there; they use chopping off people’s heads. They use drowning people. I don’t know if you’ve seen with the cages, where they put people in cages and they drown them in the ocean and they lift out the cage. And we’re talking about waterboarding. I would bring it back, yes. I think waterboarding is peanuts compared to what they’d do to us, what they’re doing to us, what they did to James Foley when they chopped off his head. That’s a whole different level and I would absolutely bring back interrogation and strong interrogation.”
John Kasich:
Unlike members of the Democratic party, John Kasich, R-Ohio, is against the U.S. allowing Syrian refugees. He also believes that $100 billion should be spent by the U.S. to rebuild the military. He also wants to expand the veterans’ healthcare program and start a coalition to fight ISIS in Syria. Kasich also believes that drones should be operated by the Pentagon and not the CIA.
“I would be working to get other countries to jump in and join us. I don’t want to go alone. Let me tell you what I would do. Firstly, I would have supported the rebels in Syria that were in there to topple Assad. Secondly, I would have a coalition of other countries, including us, on the ground beginning to degrade and destroy ISIS, because, as you begin to do it, that whole caliphate beings to fall apart.”
Ted Cruz:
Ted Cruz, R-Texas, believes that the military should increase its amount of troops to 1.4 million soldiers. He also believes that waterboarding isn’t a form of torture. Cruz says that American citizens who join ISIS should forfeit their citizenship. Cruz also said he will shred the Iranian nuclear deal on his first day in office.
“Well, under the definition of torture, no, it’s [waterboarding’s] not. Under the law, torture is excruciating pain that is equivalent to losing organs and systems, so under the definition of torture, it is not. It is enhanced interrogation, it is vigorous interrogation, but it does not meet the generally recognized definition of torture.”
