How GOP Presidential Candidates Would Tackle ISIS
What Donald Trump, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz and other candidates would do.
— -- Republican presidential candidates were quick to criticize President Obama's address to the nation about ISIS Sunday night, and several of them detailed how they would defeat the terrorist group.
From "carpet bombing" the Islamic State to using "cyber weapons," here's a look at what some of the Republican presidential hopefuls would do if they were president:
Donald Trump -- Target Terrorist's Families
Trump stepped up his calls to track terrorists and their families.
"At least I would certainly go after the wives who absolutely knew what was happening. And I guess your definition of what I would do, I'm going to leave that to your imagination," Trump told CBS's "Face the Nation." "But I will tell you I would be very tough on families, because the families know what is happening."
Trump has also suggested monitoring mosques and arming more Americans to deal with domestic terrorism.
Marco Rubio -- "Substantial Ground Army"
On Fox, Rubio called for a "substantial ground army" (mostly Sunni fighters) to fight ISIS. The Florida senator also said he doesn't think those on the no-fly list should be kept from purchasing guns.
"They're on that list by mistake because they share a name with someone else, and the notion that a radical jihadist who is on the no-fly list is going to walk into a local gun shop to purchase a gun is absurd," Rubio said.
Ben Carson -- Use Banking Systems and "Cyber Weapons"
In a phone interview on "Good Morning America" Monday, Carson suggested that the U.S. "frustrate ISIS" so they can't get money to people.
"That means I would be talking about using the banking systems and all the monetary mechanisms available because what they do is they target disenfranchised and frustrated people," Carson said, laying out how he would isolate ISIS. The former neurosurgeon said he also wanted to be "much more specific in targeting people" instead of "carpet bombing" the area.
Carson has also emphasized in recent days that the U.S. should be putting our "cyber weapons" to greater use to fight ISIS to counter the terrorist group's online recruiting efforts.
Ted Cruz -- 'Carpet Bombing' ISIS
Cruz has been calling for "overwhelming air power" and at an event in Iowa over the weekend, he offered tough language on defeating ISIS: "We will carpet bomb them into oblivion. I don't know if sand can glow in the dark, but we're going to find out." On Saturday, Cruz told reporters the U.S. should also take out the oil facilities under ISIS control.
After the president's speech, Cruz released a statement saying: "If I am elected president, I will direct the Department of Defense to destroy ISIS. And I will shut down the broken immigration system that is letting jihadists into our country."
Jeb Bush -- Reinstate NSA Data Collection
Speaking on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" Monday, Bush said the U.S. should "absolutely" reinstate the NSA's bulk data collection. "It's part of a series of tools that have kept us safe and it's an essential part of the national security of our country," Bush argued.
Bush also added that "within the norms of international law" the U.S. should be able to capture terrorists and interrogate them in order to gain intelligence about a potential next attack. Bush's policy in defeating ISIS also includes supporting the Iraqi and Kurd forces, establishing a no-fly zone in Syria, and setting up multiple safe zones in Syria.
Rand Paul -- More Concealed Carry for Americans
In a phone interview with Yahoo, Paul compared the call to stop people on the no-fly list from purchasing guns to Trump's profiling of Muslims.
"The question is if you're gonna take away someone's second amendment right or let's say we're gonna take away your first amendment right because you're put on a list," Paul said. "You would want to make sure people that were put on a list, particular American citizens, for those who live here, would have a means of going to court to say 'Hey guys you made a mistake I'm just a conservative I don't want to be on the list.'"
Paul wants to reform the country's border security protocol and stop training foreign fighters, who he called the allies of ISIS and al Qaeda.
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