Ben Carson: The West Is Facing A ‘Clash Of Civilizations’ With Fundamentalist Islam

Dr. Ben Carson, a retired neurosurgeon and GOP candidate for President, tells the Republican Jewish Coalition’s Presidential Candidate Forum that the U.S. and Israel have a unique bond.

Carson opened his remarks with a  discussion of George Washington’s message to early America, where he discussed the importance of not being engaged in “entangling alliances.” Carson then elaborated on the book written by former Israeli Ambassador to the United States, Michael Oren, who showcased the strength of the bond between Israel and America.

“This special bond between two nations existed” even before the two countries were officially states, Carson said, remembering how the founders of America referred to the area as a “promised land.”

Citing John Quincy Adams and Abraham Lincoln, Carson discussed how both early American leaders talked about reinstating a homeland for the Jewish people.

Carson said it “amazes me” how Israel is being pushed to forcibly comply with the ideal of a two-state solution, which has been steadily rejected by the Arab and Muslim parties.

“Lasting peace” ensures that “the State of Israel remains a Jewish state for the Jewish people forever.”

The retired neurosurgeon discussed the two major Palestinian political parties, Fatah and Hamas, which are in constant conflict. Even if Israel were to agree to a peace deal, they would have no Palestinian leading party to agree to such a deal, he said.

Pointing out the hypocrisy of the international community’s hyper-focus on Israel, only a tiny percentage of deaths from conflict have come from the Arab-Israeli wars, Carson said, adding the vast majority of deaths in the Middle East have come from Muslims killing other Muslims.

“It is clear to me that the Obama administration has zero understanding of this region,” Carson said of the Middle East.

Carson recalled how the Obama White house viewed the Arab Spring as “democratic uprisings,” when in reality, they were Islamist revolts. He reminded the audience that President Obama backed Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohamed Morsi, an Islamist radical.

Last year, in Israel’s summer war against Hamas, a Palestinian terror group, Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry tried to negotiate a truce between Israel and the terror group, he added.

“The next President of the United States needs to adhere” to three core principles, Carson stated.

First and foremost come America’s national security interests, he said. “All foreign policy decisions must be made through the lens of national security interests.”

He discussed his recent trip to Syrian refugee camps, advocating for the creation of “safe havens” in the Middle East, but not for the refugees’ import to the United States.

Secondly, “we are currently facing a clash of civilizations” between radical Islam and western values, he said, explaining that Israel is America’s ally in this coming battle.

A “strong economy makes for a strong foreign policy,” Carson articulated as his third principle.

“Even in a room of complete darkness, a single flame can light an entire room,” he concluded, citing a Jewish proverb. But now “there are two flames in this room: the State of Israel and the United States of America.”