Carson's Foreign Policy Agenda: Destroy ISIS, Reinforce US Military

Ben Carson unveiled his national security platform Tuesday, pledging to declare war on the Islamic State, withdraw from the Iran nuclear agreement "on day one" — and beating back Russian and Chinese aggression with a reinforced U.S. military that would showcase America's "military supremacy."

"I believe in the greatness of this country," the GOP presidential candidate said in outlining his agenda. "If we have learned one thing over the last seven years, it is this: The world is a safer place when the United States engages global problems with strength and resolve.

"A Carson administration will rebuild America's foreign policy, strengthen our military capabilities and reinforce our global partnerships."

Here are the key points of Carson's agenda:

• Rebuilding U.S. defense forces by immediately halting sequestration, returning the military to 2012 levels, and giving "our military the necessary resources to retain its technological supremacy, whether in the air, on land, at sea, in space or in cyberspace."
• Declaring war on ISIS and leading "the formation of a military coalition of moderate Arab nations to wage war against the Islamic State."
• Isolating the Syrian and Iraqi portions of the Islamic State from each other "so that they can be defeated in detail," and encouraging allies to recruit and train Sunni Syrians and sending in American resources to "work with indigenous forces to establish a safe zone for refugees."
• Reaffirming relations with Israel by doing "everything within our power to support and protect our ally."
• Withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal "on day one" because "by imposing no reliable inspection regime on Iran's nuclear facilities, the Obama administration has placed its faith and trust in the Mullahs who chant 'death to America.'"
• Enlisting Russia to destroy ISIS, but making "no concessions to Moscow in troubled areas such as Ukraine and will continue to deter Russian aggression in the Baltic states."
• Standing down both China and North Korea with a strong military, "imposing harsh economic penalties on Chinese firms that steal — and are end users of — American intellectual property" and pressuring Beijing to "leverage its influence" on North Korea to halt the country's "aggressive behavior."

"A Carson administration will lead from the front, ensuring a secure America through strength, deterrence and principled leadership," the retired pediatric neurosurgeon said.

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