In the wake of Wednesday’s terrorist attack in San Bernardino, California, U.S. Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz took to the stage at the annual Republican Jewish Coalition’s conference to warn of the threat “radical Islamic terrorism” poses to America and its allies.
Before beginning his speech, the Texas senator requested a moment of silence for the victims of the Wednesday morning attack — an attack which left at least 14 dead and 21 injured, according to San Bernardino Police Chief Jarrod Burguan.
Authorities say that both suspects in the San Bernardino mass shooting, 28-year-old Syed Farook and 27-year-old Tashfeen Malik, were killed.
Disputing reports of a possible third suspect, NPR reports that the police are “now confident” that Malik and Farook, both deceased, were the only suspects involved in the deadly attack.
Cruz referred to the “horrific murder” as what is perhaps “yet another manifestation” of “radical Islamic terrorism” in America while noting that it “underscores that we are at a time of war,” regardless of whether the Obama administration “is willing to acknowledge it”.
All of us are deeply concerned that this yet another manifestation of radical Islamic terrorism here at home […] This horrific murder underscores that we are at a time of war, whether the current administration is willing to acknowledge it, our enemies are at war with us.
Borrowing words from former U.S. President Ronald Reagan, Cruz commented on what he believes the nation’s strategy should be when it comes to combating radical Islam, “We win. They lose.”
[America’s strategy] should be very simple: We win. They lose.
Politico reports that the GOP presidential candidate from Texas “blasted” the president’s refusal to acknowledge radical Islamic terrorism in stating, “When the president says the Islamic State isn’t Islamic, that’s just nutty.”
Both suspects in the Wednesday morning attack were Muslims with Pakistani heritage. The couple, man and wife, were married in Saudi Arabia after they reportedly met on the Internet.
