Hillary Clinton: No troops in Syria, even if attack on U.S. soil

Hillary Rodham Clinton is shown in this file photo.
Hillary Rodham Clinton is shown in this file photo.

NEW YORK — Hillary Rodham Clinton vowed to keep American troops out of Syria in a foreign policy address, saying she would resist sending forces to fight Islamic militants even if there's another terrorist attack within the US.

The Democratic presidential candidate said America must lead the effort to fight Islamic State militants but called on Arab nations to supply much of the military force on the ground.

During a question-and-answer session with CNN's Fareed Zakaria in New York, Clinton was asked if the pressure to send in U.S. ground troops to Syria would be "unstoppable" if another terrorist attack occurred in the U.S.

"It would certainly grow but I think it would be a mistake," she said, noting her support for sending in more U.S. special forces, empowering U.S. trainers in Iraq and the use of an air coalition in the region. "Right now we need to keep the pressure on the people on the ground and get them to change their priorities and work together."

While Clinton said she largely backed the president's efforts to combat Islamic militants, she said the U.S. should prioritize efforts to defeat Islamic extremists over ousting Syrian President Bashar Assad. President Barack Obama says both have to happen in tandem.

Clinton reiterated her support for a no-fly zone over the northern region of the country, a measure opposed by Obama, saying it would help with conditions on the ground and pressure Assad to reach a political settlement in peace talks being brokered by Secretary of State John Kerry.

"Right now we have one overriding goal as I outlined we need to crush their territorial domain," she said. "We have to prioritize."

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