Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump called for a 30-day plan by military leaders to defeat the Iaslamic State, in a speech in Greenville, S.C., on Tuesday. Photo by Ernest Coleman/UPI |
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GREENVILLE , S.C., Sept. 7 (UPI) -- Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said that if he's elected, he will seek a plan to defeat the Islamic State from top generals within 30 days of taking office.
His strategy to push for a concentrated assault against the terror group also known as Daesh, ISIS and ISIL came a day before a speech in Philadelphia in which Trump is expected to reveal a plan to end military budget cuts known as sequesters. He will also advocate a substantial increase in military spending, a topic he regularly mentions on the campaign trail.
Speaking Tuesday in Greenville, S.C., Trump outlined plans for his administration's first 30 days, saying, "We are going to convey my top generals and give them a simple instruction. They will have 30 days to submit to the oval office a plan for soundly and quickly defeating ISIS. We have no choice."
His plan was immediately decried by retired Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling, a 37-year Army veteran, as simplistic, telling CNN, "I had to ask myself, what the hell does he think we've been trying to do for the last 14 years in terms of al-Qaida?"
"It shows a complete lack of understanding of the threat and the ways to fight it. It's a sophomoric approach to elements of national security policy because if he's just calling in the military, he's missing the point that there are several other elements of national security that will help defeat ISIS."
Trump's comments came on the day 88 former military officers endorsed him in a joint letter. Hertling commented the majority who signed the letter are former Navy officers not involved in the United States' war on terrorism.
Trump's concentration on military issues this week comes as he prepares to participate in a televised forum of questions and answers, before an audience of veterans, active-duty military members and their families, Wednesday in New York; Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton will participate in the forum, though the candidates will appear separately on stage.
