Trump giving aid, comfort to adversaries: Clinton

Washington, Sep 19: The rhetoric and language being used by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump is giving aid and comfort to the adversaries of America, his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton alleged today.

"We know that Donald Trump's comments have been used online for recruitment of terrorists. We've heard that from former CIA Director Michael Hayden, who made it a very clear point when he said Donald Trump is being used as a recruiting sergeant for the terrorists.

"We also know from the former head of our counter- terrorism center, Matt Olsen, that the kinds of rhetoric and language that Mr Trump has used is giving aid and comfort to our adversaries," Clinton told reporters.

Clinton alleged that it is well known that a lot of the rhetoric from Trump has been seized on by terrorists, in particular ISIS, because they are looking to make this into a war against Islam rather than a war against jihadists, violent terrorists.

"They want to use that to recruit more fighters to their cause by turning it into a religious conflict. That's why I've been very clear; we're going after the bad guys and we're going to get them, but we're not going to go after an entire religion and give ISIS exactly what it's wanting in order for them to enhance their position," she said.

The Trump campaign alleged that Clinton is accusing the Republican of treason. "Hillary Clinton's comments today accusing Mr Trump of treason are not only beyond the pale, it's also an attempt to distract from her horrible record on ISIS.

If Clinton really wants to find the real cause of ISIS, she needs to take a long, hard look in the mirror," alleged Jason Miller, senior communication advisor to the Trump campaign. "The decision to remove all American troops from Iraq in 2011, which was vigorously supported by Clinton, created the vacuum that led to the founding of ISIS.

Nothing she says or does can ever un-ring that bell. The only thing we can expect from a Hillary Clinton presidency is more attacks on our homeland and more innocent Americans being hurt and killed," Miller said.

At her news conference, Clinton said it is time to put into place the strategies for local and state law enforcement, for an intelligence surge, for the kind of preventive actions that we need to take here at home, and to intensify our efforts to defeat ISIS.

"You don't hear a plan from Trump. He keeps saying he has a secret plan. Well, the secret is he has no plan. So let's focus on what we really can do. And what I've laid out is a path forward that will keep us safer, protect our country and go after the terrorists to finally destroy them," Clinton said.

PTI