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Dr. Ben Carson: 'Use Every Means Possible' to Fight Terror

The potential Republican candidate for president tells Chuck Todd that the U.S. needs to eradicate ISIS now.
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One potential Republican presidential candidate took a stance on foreign policy Sunday morning, saying the United State needs to "use every means possible" to eradicate ISIS and other militant groups.

Dr. Ben Carson said that the United States has a choice to make in the fight against terror. "We can sit back and say, 'Nah, they're not that big a deal,'" Carson said on Meet the Press. "Or we can recognize that the longer we allow them to grow, to spread, to root, get their roots well established, the more difficult it will be to eradicate them lately.

"So what I mean is we have to eradicate them now," he said. "We have to use every means possible to do that."

Carson also said that it was important for the U.S. to not focus merely on Sunni terror groups, but also Shiite groups within Iran.

The neurosurgeon was also asked by Chuck Todd about the recent debate regarding Scott Walker, President Obama and religion in politics. "I personally believe that a person's religious beliefs are the things that make them who they are, give them a direction in their life," said Carson.

"But I do not believe that religious beliefs should dictate one's public policies and stances. I find a very good measure of correlation between my religious beliefs and my scientific beliefs."

In regards to the 2016 race, Carson revealed he would not run if "there was really no support for it."

However, one day after receiving 11 percent in the CPAC straw poll, he seemed confident in his ability to rally support around his possible candidacy. "I'm seeing a very substantial amount of support across the country in red states, blue states, north, south, east, west."

— Dale Armbruster