Paris terror attacks shift focus in 2016 presidential race to security issues

PARIS -- The terror attacks in Paris on Friday, November 13th have shaken up the 2016 presidential race, allowing national security issues to dominate the agenda for the first time in the campaign.

The terrorist group ISIS has claimed responsibility for the terror attacks that left more than 100 people dead, and hundreds more hurt. Some Republican candidates for president are calling on the U.S. to join other countries in a new war against the terror group. Democratic candidates stopped short of calling for new military action.

On Saturday, November 14th, the Democratic candidates for president took the stage in Iowa for their second debate. Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders and Martin O'Malley didn't provide details on how they would take on ISIS -- saying instead that the U.S. should work with its allies on diplomatic and intelligence fronts.

Democratic presidential debate

Hillary Clinton

"It cannot be an American fight. And I think what the president has consistently said, which I agree with, is that we will support those that take the fight to ISIS," former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said.

"This actually is America`s fight. It cannot be solely America`s fight," said former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, adding that he thought the U.S. should play a leadership role.

"The invasion of Iraq led to the massive levels of instability we`re seeing right now. I think that was one of the worst foreign policy blunders in the history of the United States," said U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont.

Bernie Sanders

The shift to foreign policy, at least for now, may encourage Republican voters to consider which candidate would make the best commander in chief. It would mark a big change in a race that two political outsiders are currently leading.

Rivals of frontrunner Donald Trump, who said last week that he would "bomb the (expletive) out of" ISIS, said Trump lacked the credentials to be commander in chief.

Ben Carson, who is polling in second place, did not say during an appearance on Fox News Sunday how he would confront ISIS.

Meanwhile, Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio said on the Sunday shows that they would encourage NATO allies to develop a military strategy against ISIS.

Then, there are the Syrian refugees. The U.S. is accepting an increased number of people fleeing from ISIS, a controversial decision that some Republicans are now saying must be curtailed.

Martin O'Malley

On Sunday, it was revealed that one of the Paris attackers held a Syrian passport.

"Bringing people into this country from that area of the world, I think is a huge mistake, because why wouldn`t they infiltrate them?" Carson said.

Ben Carson and Donald Trump

The Obama administration says it's staying the course on allowing the refugees into the United States -- saying they are screened first.

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