ISIS and Trump's Statements; Fifth Debate of Republican Candidates in the U.S.

The fifth debate of the 2016 U.S. presidential election among Republican candidates was held with a greater focus on the battle against the 'Islamic State,' Donald Trump's statements regarding the ban on Muslims entering the United States, and national security issues. The new debate took place on December 15 in Las Vegas. The deadly Paris attacks and the San Bernardino massacre by a couple reportedly influenced by Islamist extremists turned the issue of extremism and extremist groups, particularly the self-proclaimed Islamic State, into one of the main topics of the debate. This was the first debate of its kind following the recent attacks. Meanwhile, Republican candidates criticized Donald Trump, the frontrunner in party polls, for his remarks about banning Muslims. Jeb Bush stated, 'We cannot separate ourselves from peaceful Muslims. Such an expectation means our downfall.' He added that Trump is a chaotic candidate and would also be a chaotic president for America. Following the shooting in San Bernardino, California, which resulted in 14 deaths, this leading Republican candidate called for a temporary and complete ban on Muslims entering America. These remarks have drawn widespread criticism against him in the United States and other countries, and were also raised by other candidates during the December 15 debate. Marco Rubio stated that such a thing 'will not happen.' Senator Rand Paul remarked, 'If we ban a religion, censor the internet, I think that's when the terrorists have won.' Trump remains the frontrunner in polls, and public support among some Republicans for him has increased. He himself commented on Jeb Bush, saying, 'He is a good man, but we need a strong man.' Chris Christie, one of the candidates present in the debate, claimed that his experience as a federal prosecutor makes him 'the most experienced option to fight terrorism.' Mr. Christie supported the downing of a Russian fighter jet if a potential no-fly zone were established, stating that he would do just that if given the chance. Rand Paul responded, 'If you're looking for someone to start World War III, you have found your candidate.' Carly Fiorina mentioned that she would use her experiences in technology to combat terrorism.