Posted on Dec 8, 2015
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From: CNN

Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump called Monday for barring all Muslims from entering the United States.

"Donald J. Trump is calling for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country's representatives can figure out what is going on," a campaign press release said.

Trump, who has previously called for surveillance against mosques and said he was open to establishing a database for all Muslims living in the U.S., made his latest controversial call in a news release. His message comes in the wake of a deadly mass shooting in San Bernardino, California, by suspected ISIS sympathizers and the day after President Barack Obama asked the country not to "turn against one another" out of fear.

Trump's comments are likely to roil the Republican presidential race, forcing many of his opponents for the nomination to engage in a debate over whether there should be a religious test to enter America.

But his proposal was met with enthusiasm by many of his supporters, who showed their approval via social media as well as at his rally on Monday night.

"I think that we should definitely disallow any Muslims from coming in. Any of them. The reason is simple: we can't identify what their attitude is," said 75-year-old Charlie Marzka of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Moreover, the Muslim travel ban will likely do little to dent Trump's own popularity among Republican primary voters. The billionaire businessman has dominated the GOP contest for months despite repeated controversies that would likely sink other White House hopefuls.

"Without looking at the various polling data, it is obvious to anybody the hatred is beyond comprehension. Where this hatred comes from and why we will have to determine," Trump said in a statement. "Until we are able to determine and understand this problem and the dangerous threat it poses, our country cannot be the victims of horrendous attacks by people that believe only in Jihad, and have no sense of reason or respect for human life."

Trump's campaign added in the release that such a ban should remain in effect "until our country's representatives can figure out what is going on."

The release pointed to an online poll from the controversial Center for Security Policy, which claimed that a quarter of Muslims living in the U.S. believe violence against Americans is justified as part of a global jihadist campaign. Critics have questioned the reliability of the organization's information. It also pointed to a Pew Research poll, which the campaign declined to identify, which the campaign claimed points to "great hatred towards Americans by large segments of the Muslim population."

Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski told CNN on Monday that the ban would apply not just to Muslim foreigners looking to immigrate to the U.S., but also to Muslims looking to visit the U.S. as tourists.

"Everyone," Lewandowski said when asked if the ban would also apply to Muslim tourists.

"Great surveillance and vigilance must be adhered to," said Trump in an additional statement Lewandowski provided to CNN. "We want to be very fair but too many bad things are happening and the percentage of true hatred is too great. People that are looking to destroy our country must be reported and turned in by the good people who love our country and want America to be great again."

Trump confirmed that his policy would not apply to current Muslims in the U.S. during a Fox News interview on Monday evening.

"I have Muslim friends, Greta, and they're wonderful people. But there's a tremendous section and cross-section of Muslims living in our country who have tremendous animosity," he told Fox News anchor Greta Van Susteren. "It does not apply to people living in the country, except we have to be vigilant."

Obama administration condemns proposal
Obama's deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes reacted to Trump's call Monday on CNN, calling it "totally contrary to our values as Americans" and pointed to the Bill of Rights' protection of freedom of religion and pointing to the "extraordinary contributions" Muslim Americans have made to the U.S.

"But it's also contrary to our security," Rhodes told CNN's Wolf Blitzer on "The Situation Room." "The fact of the matter is ISIL wants to frame this as a war between the United States and Islam, and if we look like we're applying religious tests to who comes into this country, we're sending a message that essentially we're embracing that frame and that is going to make it very difficult to partner with Muslim communities here in the United States and around the world to prevent the scourge of radicalization that we should be focused on."

"We should make it harder for ISIL to portray this as a war between the United States and Islam, not easier," Rhodes added, using another acronym for ISIS, the radical Islamist group that controls swaths of Syria and Iraq and has called for terror attacks against the U.S.

Trump has beat back criticism in recent weeks that he is bigoted against Muslims, even telling CNN on Saturday when asked whether Muslims pose a danger to the U.S. that he thinks Muslims "are great people."

"I love the Muslims. I think they're great people," Trump told CNN in September.

And when he became tied to the idea of creating a database of all Muslims living in the U.S., Trump sought to distance himself from that proposal -- insisting that the idea was a reporter's and he was not committed to it.

Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, speaking to members of the Muslim community earlier in the afternoon, echoed the President's sentiment on Sunday warning against divisiveness.

"Bitterness grows out of hopelessness, and there is no hopelessness in this situation, however uncomfortable and menacing it may be at times," he said. "Faith in the ultimate strength of the democratic philosophy and code of the Nation as a whole has always been stronger than the impulse to despair"

Republicans react
It didn't take long for the rest of the Republican presidential primary field to repudiate Trump's call.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie slammed Trump's proposal in a radio interview.

"This is the kind of thing that people say when they have no experience and don't know what they are talking about. We do not need to resort to that type of activity nor should we," Christie said on the Michael Medved radio show. "What we need to do is to increase our intelligence activities. We need to cooperate with peaceful Muslim Americans who want to give us intelligence against those who are radicalized."

And South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham called on every presidential candidate to "do the right thing & condemn @Realdonaldtrump's statement."

Graham later told CNN that Trump's rhetoric "is putting our troops serving abroad and our diplomats at risk."

"For interpreters and others risking their lives abroad to help America -- this is a death sentence," Graham said.

Graham just returned from a trip to visit troops in the Middle East and said from troops and allies there expressed concerns over Trump's rhetoric.

Graham said he assured them that Trump is in the minority, but Graham said Monday Trump's latest proposal makes it harder to convince them of that.

Another GOP presidential contender, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, said, "‎That is not my policy."

"I have introduced legislation in the Senate that would put in place a three year moratorium on refugees coming from countries where ISIS or al Qaeda control a substantial amount of territory. And the reason is that is where the threat is coming from," Cruz said as he was leaving a South Carolina field office.

In a statement, Ohio Gov. John Kasich said, "This is just more of the outrageous divisiveness that characterizes his every breath and another reason why he is entirely unsuited to lead the United States."

And former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush tweeted that Trump is "unhinged."

"Donald Trump is unhinged. His "policy" proposals are not serious," he said.

Former neurosurgeon Ben Carson also said is opposed to placing a religious test on U.S. visitors.

"Everyone visiting our country should register and be monitored during their stay as is done in many countries. I do not and would not advocate being selective on one's religion," he said in a statement.

Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul's campaign did not explicitly refute Trump's proposal.

"Sen. Rand Paul has led on the issue of border security, proposing real solutions. That's why earlier this month he introduced legislation to block visitors and immigrants from nations with known radical elements while a new system is developed to screen properly," said Sergio Gor, Paul's communications director, in a statement.

Former tech CEO Carly Fiorina said Trump's "overreaction" is as bad as Obama's "under reaction."

"President Obama isn't prepared to do anything, which is clearly foolish, but Donald Trump always plays on everyone's worst instincts and fears. And saying we're not going to let a single Muslim into this country is a dangerous overreaction," she said during a gaggle with reporters in Waterloo, Iowa.

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio said he disagrees with Trump.

"(Trump's) habit of making offensive and outlandish statements will not bring Americans together. The next president better be somebody who can unite our country to face the great challenges of the 21st Century," he said in a statement.

Former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore tweeted, "Trump's fascist talk drives all minorities from GOP."

And former Vice President Dick Cheney, speaking with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt, said such a policy goes against the spirit of America.

"This whole notion that somehow we can just say no more Muslims, just ban a whole religion, goes against everything we stand for and believe in," he said. "I mean, religious freedom has been a very important part of our history and where we came from."

Democrats slam Trump
Democrats were quick to condemn Trump's call, with two of the three Democratic presidential candidates calling Trump a "demagogue."

".@realdonaldtrump removes all doubt: he is running for President as a fascist demagogue," tweeted Democratic presidential candidate Martin O'Malley, the former governor of Maryland.

Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont also slammed Trump as a demagogue and suggested Trump's rhetoric would make the U.S. weaker.

"Demagogues throughout our history have attempted to divide us based on race, gender, sexual orientation or country of origin. Now, Trump and others want us to hate all Muslims. The United States is a great nation when we stand together. We are a weak nation when we allow racism and xenophobia to divide us," Sanders said in a statement.

Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton, in a signed message, tweeted, "This is reprehensible, prejudiced and divisive. @RealDonaldTrump, you don't get it. This makes us less safe. -H"

And the Democratic National Committee sought to align the GOP as a whole alongside Trump.

"Donald Trump is indeed a 'net positive' for the Republican Party -- as their chairman called him -- because he shows America what the Republican Party really stands for with his rhetoric that only helps enemies like ISIL/Daesh to recruit extremists," said DNC spokeswoman Christina Freundlich.

Trump's call for a shutdown of Muslim immigration in the U.S. came hours before he was set to speak aboard the U.S.S. Yorktown, a World War II era ship parked near Charleston, South Carolina.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/12/07/politics/donald-trump-muslim-ban-immigration/
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Cpl Mark A. Morris
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Trump did not say he din't like Muslims. He said there is an issue going on inside the Islamic Ummah. Should we be like Europe and create a new civilization through chaos with Islamic immigration?

I bet a pay check, there are active duty senior enlisted and officer corp Americans getting to know the enemy and planning to defeat it. But, the real enemy of this country are those allowing/assisting the growth of a problem.
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Capt Tom Brown
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Americans are not yet convinced that world terrorism presents much or any real threat to US, hence the unwillingness to strenuously engage them and limits our efforts to feeble bombing and now a few special forces. (How did carpet bombing work out for US in RVN?) Until bombs start going off in America on a fairly regular basis, we will continue to show restraint and fight them(as POTUS says) within our own cultural value system. Daesh and world terrorism are playing for keeps and the only way to 'control or contain' them will be to wage total and all out war on their own terms in ways only they can understand, brutal and with total disregard for casualties. Being nice and honorable with them is not going to work. It didn't work in Iraq or Afgan or RVN or Korea or anything in between. DT is out front on this crisis and some people are uncomfortable to face that draconian measures must be taken against World Terrorists.
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SGT Dana Williams
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Jimmy Carter banned Iranians from entry in 1979.
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SGT Dana Williams
SGT Dana Williams
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I would never have guessed! What about the countries that are breeding Daesh/ISIS?
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CPT Ahmed Faried
CPT Ahmed Faried
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PO1 John Miller - you get it. If JC had banned all Persians then he would have been a good example. Trump is in a league of his own on this one...well except Hitler of course.
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CPT Ahmed Faried
CPT Ahmed Faried
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SGT Dana Williams - you are thinking of Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. But they are our "allies" dontcha know.
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SGT Dana Williams
SGT Dana Williams
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I'm not one to restrict that to Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. I said any country that fosters, aids, or gives sanctuary to Daesh/ISIS. Ant Trump is not in a League Of His Own. He's in a League with Woodrow Wilson and Franklin Delano Roosevelt. We're in a war, and too many are trying to make common sense security measires a political thing! I'm no fan of Donald Trump, but the class of his attackers is making him favorable to the American people.
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LTC Substitute Teacher
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Immigration is a very tricky issue. Its impossible to totally close borders. Also we are a nation of immigrants; we have very cherished values of freedom to practice any religion. Its always been the eternal dilemma of balancing national security and safety with our cherished values. I don't claim to have the answers; I do think more restrictive immigration policies and stronger national security vetting is needed, it shouldn't be directed at one race or religion, of course, but it may be possible that some people of fit certain descriptions would have to be looked at. If a cop says a suspect has blond hair, blue eyes 5 feet 10 and thin, you aren't gong to look at people with dark hair or not thin. The news came up that email/cell phone monitoring has been curtailed or reduced on the wake of the Snowden situation just before that. I personally don't like to be monitored.; but I'll be happy to be monitored if it protects us. (I would advocated that if such monitoring is allowed; action be limited to threats to national security or to lives; lord knows how many embarassing things we say. Some people may have to be temporarily inconvenienced if it saves lives. If a suspicious looking person but innocent person is caused to miss a fight, apologize and compensate them, but the delay is wroth saving lives.

I know its a tough time for the vast majority of Muslims who are innocent and peace-loving. Many service in our military and government, we have Muslim chaplains; Muslims serve in the IDF and Israeli Knesset, and even the Israeli Supreme Court. I have worked with Muslim students s a teacher; I see quite a few in the JROTC programs.

Politicians seem to be be appealing to the far left or right. Wherever the best answer lies, it needs to come from common sense, thoughtful, objective, careful, critical thinking using all the problem-solving steps using careful objective, empirical intelligence and analysis; and yes, we need to act promptly, but not quick feel-good solutions that lack this process.
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CPT Ahmed Faried
CPT Ahmed Faried
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concurred completely Sir.
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LTC Hardware Test Engineer
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How quickly we forget: 1980 Jimmy Carter "The Secretary of Treasury [State] and the Attorney General will invalidate all visas issued to Iranian citizens for future entry into the United States, effective today. We will not reissue visas, nor will we issue new visas, except for compelling and proven humanitarian reasons or where the national interest of our own country requires. This directive will be interpreted very strictly."
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Capt Richard I P.
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Non-concur.
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CPO Randy Francis
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Can't be any worse than what we already have.
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CPT Ahmed Faried
CPT Ahmed Faried
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you sure? or is this just your way of agreeing with him?
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Capt Walter Miller
Capt Walter Miller
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I guess people don't like the president because he didn't stumble into an unnecessary war like Bush 43 did.

walt
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SGT Jeremy Reese
SGT Jeremy Reese
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Capt Walter Miller - Nah, more like the stagnation of the Economy. There are plenty statistics that contradict me, however hear me out. US worker participation is at it's lowest since the 1920's, Heroin epidemics are everywhere. Higher rate of poverty in the US and healthcare costs have skyrocketed for those employed above the poverty line. I think poverty is currently set at earning less than $32,000 per adult household member. It is the condition that America is in that creates the most ill will for BHO.

For the record, I didn't like Bush Jr. or Sr., either.
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SFC Agr Recruiter
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Trump should of used a different approach or should of chosen different words. Like "Stop All Immigration". I feel we need to get things under control.

JM $0.02
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CPT Ahmed Faried
CPT Ahmed Faried
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he should have said neither.
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SFC Agr Recruiter
SFC (Join to see)
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CPT Ahmed Faried, that is your opinion Sir. My opinion, is he should of used different words. We do need to close are borders and get things in order here in America before we allow other immigrants to come into OUR COUNTRY! Once again this is

JM $0.02
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PO1 John Miller
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What about Muslims who are American citizens, particularly if they were born here and/or are serving in the US military? What about Muslim service members who are returning from an overseas deployment? Would they not be allowed back into their own country?
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SGT Christopher Churilla
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Two words, Donny: Timothy McVeigh.
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