GOP presidential candidate former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee says that if Russian President Vladimir Putin is willing to fight the Islamic State (ISIS), America should welcome Russia’s assistance in the fight.
Huckabee also commented on Putin’s allegation that Turkey is helping fund ISIS. He joined Breitbart News Daily on SiriusXM and told host Stephen K. Bannon that Turkey has played both sides.
“I don’t trust Putin. I don’t trust Russia, but if Russia is willing to help us kill some of these savages, then I’m more than willing to at least recognize that on this issue maybe not on much else…they are with us not against us,” Huckabee said, adding, “I trust Turkey probably less than I trust Russia.”
Bannon referenced recent reports from Breitbart News that reveal how churches are receiving money from the federal government from the refugee resettlement program and that some churches are weak on taking fight to radical Islamist terrorists.
“I think part of it is the money situation…the other side of that, all those organizations and nonprofits are going to get money. It’s going to cost the taxpayers enormous amounts of money,” Huckabee responded to Bannon.
Huckabee added that many state governors were right to push back against having refugees resettle in their states because they realize those people will be on government programs and there are “huge costs that will be associated with that.”
“I think it’s time for us to put an absolute moratorium right now,” on refugees entering the United States. Huckabee questioned, “Why take the risk?”
Huckabee commented on the fact that the Obama administration and lawmakers aren’t listening to the people who want to stop the flow of refugees into the country following the terrorist attack in Paris last month.
Most Americans have better sense than the people serving in Washington who live in their little bubble and who are determined to do what the donor class and what the politically correct pundits of Washington want them to do. At some point, Republicans in Washington need to remember who they’re working for, who sent them there, who’s paying their salaries.
“Why are these people refugees? They’re refugees because they got displaced from their homes by radical Islamists,” Huckabee said, adding that America should get rid of the radical Islamists so the refugees can go home.
“A senator sits on the committee makes a few junkets and he’s an expert,” Huckabee said, mocking how pundits act as though governors only know domestic policy.
“I’ve been going to Israel for 42 years. I’ve been to every country you can probably name in the Middle East,” he challenged. “I’ve got a perspective that’s a little different than just having read the New York Times editorial page.”
“We have to understand that there is no negotiation…there’s no way to sit down and say lets figure out how to make peace with or how to contain radical Islamic groups,” Huckabee said, stressing that the terrorists must be eradicated.
“No, Mr. President. Climate change is not more dangerous than radical Islam,” he charged, mocking the left’s narrative about the grave threat of climate change in the wake of the terrorist attack in Paris.
Huckabee said that if he were President of the United States he would increase air assaults on ISIS’s supply lines, saying, “you don’t go over and fly over and just wave.” He said it is important to stop their supplies from moving and to shut off their access to social media. Huckabee also suggested arming the Kurds.
“You’re going to have to have ground troops. They shouldn’t all be American, but Americans can’t lead from behind anymore. We need to build a coalition,” he stated. Huckabee said the coalition would included members of NATO and Arab states.