Republican presidential hopeful Ben Carson says America is facing grave national security threats, and he believes the country's leaders should do something to safeguard the people of America from the terrorism threats posed by the Islamic State (ISIS) jihadist group.
"We must act boldly and decisively to protect American citizens from terrorists at home and abroad. We can no longer dawdle while ISIS continues to persecute Christians, enslave young girls, oppress civil societies and perpetrate terrorist attacks against the free world," Carson wrote on his Facebook page.
Carson stressed the need for America to destroy the ISIS and keep its die-hard followers from infiltrating the homeland. Now is the time to secure America's borders and identify radical Islamic extremism, he said.
In light of this, Carson came up with a "Seven Steps for a Safer America" plan. His seven steps are:
1. Congress should immediately issue a formal declaration of war on ISIS.
2. The United States should lead the immediate formation of – and provide substantial advisory, financial and military support to – a military coalition in the Middle East to wage war against ISIS. Such a regional coalition would consist of countries such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan.
3. The United States should urge its allies and partners in the Middle East to engage in massive recruitment and training of Sunni Syrian men based in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf and of Sunni Syrian male refugees in Jordan – to establish a military force to destroy ISIS and to establish a protection zone for the victims of the terrorist state.
4. The United States should deploy its military resources and work with moderate Arab nations as well as extend strategic support to Kurdish, Christian and Sunni tribes in the free al-Hasakah Province in northeast Syria to establish a refugee safe zone in the province. All refugees should be directed to that free area and to other liberated areas later, and be put under international protection.
5. Congress should immediately establish a war-time emergency visa and immigration policy; establish an emergency inter-agency task force to review all visa and immigration policies; and limit visitor visas to three months with mandatory check-ins for extensions no longer than three months.
6. President Barack Obama and Congress should immediately deploy the National Guard and military troops to patrol the U.S. southern border as well as designated spots along the northern border.
7. The Department of State should declare the Muslim Brotherhood and other organisations that propagate or support Islamic terrorism as terrorist organisations, and fully investigate the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) as an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood and a supporter of terrorism.
Carson's post has received over 28,000 likes and hundreds of comments. His social media followers are praising him for thinking like a "real leader" and for coming up with a concrete plan for America.
"Thank you for thinking through and offering an actual strategy. Sound bites don't solve issues, they only get you air time," comments Donald Coleman.
Some were so impressed that they said they will vote for him should he get the Republican nod. Jamee Lynnette Okelly writes, "Honestly, Dr. Carson, you are not my 1st pick for president but you are a wonderful and very inspiring man. If you get the nomination I will vote for you with confidence that God will work a great work through you and will also believe that it was His will. We are brother and sister in Christ."
