DES MOINES, Iowa — Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton refused to say the U.S. is at war with radical Islamic terrorists during the Democratic presidential debate here on Saturday.
“I don’t think we’re at war with Islam. I don’t think we’re at war with all Muslims,” Mrs. Clinton said.
Pressed by the debate moderator about radical Islam, Mrs. Clinton said the fight is against violent extremists.
“I don’t want us to be painting with too broad a brush,” she said.
Republican presidential hopeful Jeb Bush pounced on Mrs. Clinton’s comments.
“Yes, we are at war with radical Islamic terrorism,” he tweeted.
Mrs. Clinton, who previously served as secretary of state, said that it wasn’t “particularly helpful” to risk alienating all Muslim people, who she said would be crucial allies in combating jihadist groups such as the Islamic State. The terror group claimed responsibility for the rampage by gunmen and suicide bombers Friday in Paris that killed 129 people and injured more than 350 others.
The other two Democratic candidates, Sen. Bernard Sanders of Vermont and former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley agreed that the terms “Islamic extremist” and “radical Islam” should be off limits.
• S.A. Miller can be reached at smiller@washingtontimes.com.
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