Jim Rosica
Former New York City Rudy Giuliani on Wednesday said he thinks the U.S. has “no strategy” in the fight against the Islamic State jihadist group.
“We have no strategy and that’s exactly what we need,” he said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” program.
President Barack Obama “appeared with (French President François) Hollande who took quick decisive action, which I respected immensely, and talked about how getting together on global warming is going to send a signal to (Islamic State). You got to be kidding me. If you think that’s going to send a signal to (them), you’re operating on some other planet,” Giuliani said.
Islamic State has claimed responsibility for multiple attacks in Paris earlier this month that killed at least 120 people and injured dozens more
“The reality is, what the president should have done five years ago is what he should do today,” said Giuliani, a Republican who also was U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York before being mayor 1994 to 2001.
He presided in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks masterminded by Osama bin Laden before leaving office, succeeded by Michael Bloomberg.
Obama “should set up a no-fly zone, should be an international force that enforces it, the refugees should be in the no-fly zone,” Giuliani said. “That’s why we have no-fly zones … We’ve done it before.
“France would certainly help us. We know that,” said Giuliani, who now does security consulting. “Russia would help us. We know that. I’m sure we could get the U.K. and others to help us. We could get some of the Arab countries that are worries about this to help us.
“Keep the people who are leaving Syria in a safe place where they are guarded from both sides of the controversy and then do the best we can to try to get rid of Assad and do the best we can to try to stabilize things in Syria,” Giuliani said. “This will take five years, this will take 10 years. And somebody has to be able to tell the American people that.”
But Giuliani was quick to add he wasn’t “saying war.”
“That’s the second step,” he said. “I am saying a no-fly zone to solve this imminent crisis of refugees. We’ve got the overwhelming majority of the American people who don’t want them in the United States … The refugees should be kept in Syria in a safe place.”
A link to the video is here: http://on.msnbc.com/1PYOcZ0
