Sending troops to Iraq, Syria will be terrible mistake:Clinton

Democratic presidential front- runner Hillary Clinton promised not to send US troops to war-torn Iraq or Syria if elected saying it would be a “terrible mistake”, but refused to give any “blanket statement” on overseas deployment of American combat forces.

“I will not send American combat troops to Iraq or Syria. That is off the table. That would be a terrible mistake,” Clinton said.

The US, however, will continue to use Special Forces because of the kind of threats America faces, she told a New Hampshire audience during a townhall organised by CNN.

“The network of terrorist organisations - not just ISIS, but others who are part of this unfortunate network that stretches from North Africa to South Asia - pose serious threats to friends, allies, partners, as well as to ourselves,” she said, using an acronym of the Islamic State. “We have got to keep our country safe, and we have to work with the rest of the world to try to defeat ISIS, to end that terrorist threat. So I will be very careful, deliberate with decision makers when facing hard choices, because I know what’s at stake,” said the 68-year-old ex-secretary of state. In response to a query from the audience on overseas troop deployment, Clinton said she can’t give a “blanket statement. I know you can understand why there can’t be from me anyway a blanket statement. But, I want to assure you I will be transparent, I will be open, and I will explain to the American people if any occasion arises where we do have to take military action to protect ourselves or our close friends and partners,” Clinton said.