Obama: GOP Rhetoric Is The Most ‘Potent Recruitment Tool’ For ISIS

11.17.2015 | News | Alicia Powe |

President Obama scathingly attacked Republicans during Tuesday night for their refusal to allow Syrian refugees from entering the United States.

“Apparently they’re scared of widows and orphans coming into the United States of America,” Obama said during a meeting with Philippine President Benigno Aquino. “I cannot think of a more potent recruitment tool for ISIL than some of the rhetoric that’s coming out of here during the course of this debate.”

Obama scoffed at GOP leaders for being “so tough,” yet refusing to allow in Syrian refugees.

“These are the same folks that often times suggest that they’re so tough—that uh—just talking to Putin, or staring down ISIL or using some additional rhetoric is somehow going to solve the problems out there,” he mocked. “First they were worried about the press being too tough on them during the debates, now they are worried about three-year-old orphans. That doesn’t sound very tough to me.”

He called it “offensive” for anyone to say only Christian refugees should be admitted, not Muslim ones.

“When candidates say we won’t let three-year-old orphans, that is political posturing. When individuals say that we should have a religious test and that only Christians, proven Christians—should be admitted, that’s offensive and contrary to American values,” the president said. “I can’t not think of a more potent recruitment tool for ISIS than some of the rhetoric that has been coming out of here during the course of this debate.”

Obama said Monday during his G20 speech on the Paris attacks that not taking in refugees would violate America’s values, yet his comments Tuesday marked his harshest condemnation yet of Republicans’ response to the ISIS Paris attacks that killed 129 people last week.

House Republicans and GOP presidential candidates are demanding an immediate closure of America’s borders to Syrian refugees, but the Obama administration insists on allowing an additional 10,000 Syrians fleeing civil war into the U.S.

Alicia Powe

Staff Writer

Alicia Powe is a staff writer for Daily Surge. She worked in the War Room of the Rudy Giuliani Presidential Committee and served as a White House Intern during the George W. Bush administration. Alicia has written for numerous outlets, including Human Events, Media Research Center and Townhall.com.

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