Tuesday on MSNBC, former Clinton administration ambassador to the United Nations and former Gov. Bill Richardson (D-NM) said in response to President-elect Donald Trump’s statement on Monday’s Berlin Terror attack, “[T]o frame this attack as a clash of civilizations, Christians against Muslims, it helps ISIS recruit. It helps inflame the situation.”
Trumps statement read in part, “ISIS and other Islamic terrorists continuously slaughter Christians in their communities and places of worship as part of their global jihad. These terrorists and their regional and worldwide networks must be eradicated from the face of the earth, a mission we will carry out with all freedom-loving partners.”
Richardson said, “Well, I would like to say something supportive of the president-elect, but, you know, to frame this attack as a clash of civilizations, Christians against Muslims, it helps ISIS recruit. It helps inflame the situation. I wish the president-elect wouldn’t do foreign policy by tweet or there should be, I think, more concerted effort. One, get more information. Number two, find ways that we can not make this an inflammatory charge against Muslim countries that are our allies. That we’re going to need against the fight against terrorism. You know, most of those slaughtered by ISIS are Muslims. In Iraq, all over the world, so to frame this so succinctly as a clash of civilizations is not good. It’s a bit dangerous. It doesn’t help the situation.”
He added, “You know, I want to give him a chance to — I want to support him on some of these issues, but these foreign policy by tweet, by accusations, this is not good.
Follow Pam Key on Twitter @pamkeyNEN
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