In light of this weekend’s attacks and developing terrorist investigation, both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton held press conferences to comment on the events and reiterate their plans for improving national security.
Hillary Clinton’s Monday morning speech in White Plains, NY has not inspired confidence. She started off strong with a reminder of American strength in the face of tragedies and attacks – “We choose resolve, not fear.” She stressed support for local and federal law enforcement in their manhunt, while also urging that the next president double down on improving intelligence use to “effectively prevent and respond” to tips.
But when it came to linking this event to the ever mounting refugee crisis, Clinton’s argument made no sense. She justified her weak stance on the refugee crisis by citing 9/11 – the attack that started it all. Clinton insisted that the American public not get “diverted” and “distracted” by Donald Trump’s hardline refuge policy, because 9/11 was not committed by refugees.
News Flash Clinton: While 9/11 began our war against terror and is a wound that our country is still healing from, the attacks we face today are even more complex. Threats are coming from several fronts: citizens, foreign bodies, and refugees. Any threat to national security should be taken seriously.
The suspect of the bombing, Ahmad Khan Rahami, was born in Afghanistan but is a naturalized citizen.
So yes, immigration and refugee migration need to be on the table here Mrs. Clinton.
Let’s start with how it’s a bit hypocritical of you to want to toughen up immigration scrutiny, while also pushing for a massive increase in the number of refugees the U.S. should bring in. Isn’t President Obama, who has been vigorously campaigning for you, raising the refugee goal to 110,000 – 10,000 more than originally planned for?
How does that fit in with your vetting policy? How can it be true that “refugees undergo more rigorous screening than anyone else we allow into the United States” – verbatim from the White House’s infographic on Refugee Entry Policy? How can all that be done when the process for one individual is supposed to take 18-24 months was cut down to just three.
Consider these questions Mrs. Clinton. If you want resolve – then the threats we face need to taken seriously on all fronts.