News

Just a reminder that this is Donald Trump's Middle East policy

Donald Trump must pick the right team to help him tackle the economy, foreign policy and health
Donald Trump must pick the right team to help him tackle the economy, foreign policy and health
Getty

The world is still reeling from the aftershocks of Donald Trump's election win.

People are attempting to make sense of what Trump's America will look like, and how the country's global position might change.

Given the Middle East's special place in Trump's agenda, why not start there?

On Isis

Last year, Trump made headlines following a speech he made at Decker Auditorium in Fort Dodge, Iowa.

The President-elect spoke about his strategy in the Middle East with reference to Isis and what he would do about one of the terror group's main sources of revenue: seized oil fields.

He said:

Bomb the s*** out of 'em. I would just bomb those suckers. That's right. I'd blow up the pipes... I'd blow up every single inch. There would be nothing left

and

Keep the oil. Isis has Libyan oil. If we would have left Gaddafi, we wouldn’t have that.

On Iran

Trump stated that he will ‘rip up’ the historic Iran nuclear deal that Barack Obama’s administration had painstakingly achieved. He said:

[The deal was] one of the worst deals I've ever seen negotiated in [my] entire life.

Iran, the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism, is now flush with $150bn (£12bn) in cash released by the United States — plus another $400 million (£322 million) in ransom. Worst of all, the nuclear deal puts Iran, the number one state sponsor of radical Islamic terrorism, on a path to nuclear weapons.

On the use of nuclear weapons

Somebody hits us within Isis - you wouldn't fight back with a nuke?

On fighting ‘Islam’

We have done nothing to help the Christians – nothing- and we should always be ashamed of that lack of action. We’re in a war against radical Islam… unless you name the enemy you will never ever solve the problem.

On terrorism

In June, Trump faced widespread criticism following a speech he made after the mass shooting in Orlando, Florida:

I called for a ban [on Muslims entering the country] after San Bernardino and was met with great scorn and anger. But now … many are saying that I was right to do so. And although the pause is temporary, we must find out what is going on. We have to do it.

He has since changed the wording of the ban, but not its sentiments:

[I will] suspend immigration from areas of the world when there is a proven history of terrorism against the United States, Europe, or our allies.

Go 2016.

More: Americans are begging the Queen to take back control after Donald Trump's victory
More: This Barack Obama quote about Donald Trump is now more terrifying than ever

The Conversation (0)
x