Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump stated that refugees from the Middle East and north Africa “could be the all-time great Trojan Horse” but admitted that when he was asked about admitting 3,000 of them to the US, he said he would in an interview broadcast on Tuesday’s “Special Report” on the Fox News Channel.
Trump argued that the Iraq War was the “dumbest war,” but that Vietnam was up there with Iraq in historical dumb wars fought by the US. He also argued that Russia’s Vladimir Putin would get “quagmired” in his interventions in the Middle East.
When asked if he stood by his statement that he would impeach then-President George W. Bush over the Iraq War, Trump responded, “I think he was a disaster, and I think it was one of the worst decisions ever made. He has totally destabilized the Middle East. Had Saddam Hussein still be in charge, you wouldn’t have the problems that you have right now.”
After Trump then turned to the refugee crisis, anchor Bret Baier stated, “you said, the US should take some refugees in.” Trump responded, “I did.” Baier continued, “but then you said you would send them back.” Trump explained, “They said would you take 3,000? I said I hate to do it, because we’re like the patsy for the rest of the world, why aren’t the Gulf states, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain…Qatar, why aren’t they taking some people? They’re not taking any. Maybe they’re smart. You know, they’re not taking any, they’re not putting up very much money, either. In fact, they’re putting up almost no money. What I like is a safe zone built someplace in Syria. I do like it, because on a humanitarian basis, it’s terrible. But when I look at these people, the migration, to so many young, strong men. We’re going to take them? It could be the all-time great — it probably isn’t. But it could be the all-time great Trojan Horse.”
When asked, “What’s you’re number coming in?” Trump responded, “when I heard 3,000, don’t forget, this started a month ago, and I heard 3,000. I said, 3,000, couldn’t somebody else do it? But the answer is yes. Then I heard 10,000, okay. They’re up now to over 200,000 people they want to take. These are crazy people. This is insane, not only militarily, not only from the standpoint of the Trojan Horse, meaning they come in and they turn out to be the enemy, and we pay for it, right? That’s a beauty. This would be greater than the example of the Trojan Horse this would blow the Trojan Horse away.”
Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett
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