Interview Highlights
– “Particularly from certain parts of the world, I’m just not sure that we’ve got the background information — they talk about screening, they talk about being able to review everybody in a timely way, and it may take a year or two, I’m just not confident that they’ve got sufficient information from law enforcement, the intelligence community to do effective screening. So, a pause for refugees from that part of the world is very appropriate at this time.”
– “And you’re going to continue having refugees fleeing these barbarians, these murderers until the global community, particularly – hopefully – with U.S. leadership, but that may take another president, and NATO countries. They’ll continue to have problems if ISIS continues to run freely – and they are, in spite what the president says – and get further and further embedded into Syria and Iraq.”
– “The countries that are involved in accepting the refugees- that is just a consequence of the broader global community’s failure to take on ISIS in Iraq and ISIS in Syria.”
– Ridge advocated building a safe zone in Syria for refugees displaced by the violence. “And I do think that the global community — in addition to figuring out how they’re going to handle it militarily — owes these people, owes these people the development of significant refugee camps until the internal situation can be resolved. And until we do that, shame on all us, because we let this cancer grow.”
About Governor Tom Ridge
Governor Tom Ridge Following 9/11 President George W. Bush created the Office of Homeland Security and named Tom Ridge Secretary (2003–2005). Prior to serving in the cabinet, Governor Ridge was a member of Congress (1983–1995) representing northwestern Pennsylvania. Ridge was notable as the first enlisted Vietnam combat veteran elected to the U.S. House. Congressman Ridge ran for Governor of Pennsylvania and became the 43rd Governor of Pennsylvania (1995–2001). After his public life, he joined the boards of The Home Depot, The Hershey Company and Exelon Corporation. Governor Ridge is also the founder and CEO of Ridge Global, LLC, a Washington, D.C. based security consulting firm. Governor Ridge is on everyone’s short list for Vice President.
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