Presidential Race 2016 Candidate Profile – Bernie Sanders, Dem. - Ryan Mauro

by Ryan Mauro

Clarion Project is profiling the Presidential candidates for 2016 for their positions on Islamic extremism. Our latest Candidate Profile is of Senator Bernie Sanders.

The presidential race for 2016 is gearing up and candidates are preparing themselves for the upcoming campaign. On April 30, 2015, Senator Bernie Sanders became the second candidate to announce his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination. He follows Hillary Clinton, earlier profiled by Clarion Project.
As each candidate announces their intention to run, Clarion Project will provide a summary of their positions on issues relating to Islamic extremism, in order to help our readers make the most informed possible choice come voting day. Should there be any significant changes, we intend to update our readers on the positions of any given candidate.
As Clarion is a bipartisan organization, we will not be endorsing any party or any candidate. All information provided is intended as informative only and should not be taken as evidence of Clarion’s preference for any given candidate.

Relevant Experience

·         Independent Vermont Senator, caucuses with Democratic Party (2007-Current)

·         Vermont Congressman (1991-2007)

View of Islamism

      ·         The war with ISIS is "a battle for the soul of Islam."

·         Public statements do not usually use ideological terminology like "Islamism" or "radical Islam," instead preferring generic terms like "extremist."

Domestic Islamists

·         In 2005, Sanders was praised by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a U.S. Muslim Brotherhood entity and designated terrorist entity by the United Arab Emirates. He had introduced a measure to end funding for federal searches of libraries and bookstores as part of terrorism investigations under the Patriot Act. CAIR pressured Congress to vote for Sanders' measure.

Egypt & Muslim Brotherhood

·         Removal of Egyptian President Mubarak is "extraordinary news" and U.S. must play "active role" in democratic transition.
 

Iran

·         Supports the nuclear framework with Iran.

·         Opposes sanctions and military action to stop Iran's nuclear program "at this point," but "must not be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon."

o   "At this point, harsher sanctions won’t stop Iran’s nuclear program. Neither would a dangerous resort to military action. The sanctions currently in place have brought Iran to the bargaining table and current negotiations resulted in Iran freezing its nuclear program."

·         Voted against designating the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in 2007.

Iraq, Syria and ISIS

·         Voted against authorizing military action against Iraq in 2002.

·         Supported immediate withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq during the war.

·         U.S. should not lead the war against ISIS in Iraq and Syria, but should participate with airpower and special forces.

·         Opposes sending U.S. combat forces into Iraq to fight ISIS.

·         Voted against U.S. arming and training of "moderate" Syrian rebels.

Afghanistan

·         Supported the war in Afghanistan.

·         In 2011, said the U.S. should begin "rapidly withdrawing our troops" from Afghanistan while providing aid to the Afghan military and police. He said he wanted to leave "much faster" than President Obama's plan.

Libya

·         Opposed the military intervention to overthrow Gaddafi because of the financial cost.

Hamas and Palestinian Terrorism

·         Condemned Israel's response overall to Hamas and parroted Islamist propaganda about its military action.

o   "Sanders believes the Israeli attacks that killed hundreds of innocent people – including many women and children – in bombings of civilian neighborhoods and UN controlled schools, hospitals, and refugee camps were disproportionate, and the widespread killing of civilians is completely unacceptable. Israel's actions took an enormous human toll, and appeared to strengthen support for Hamas and may well be sowing the seeds for even more hatred, war and destruction in future years."

·         Israel "overreacted" to the Hamas terrorist attacks with Operation Protective Edge in 2014, but Hamas bears responsibility for the attacks and for launching rockets from civilian areas of Gaza.

Ryan Mauro

Source: http://www.clarionproject.org/analysis/presidential-race-2016-candidate-profile-%E2%80%93-bernie-sanders-dem

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