Hillary Clinton Talks ISIS Strategy, Women in the Workplace

Hillary Clinton used a paid speaking engagement and subsequent question and answer session at a Silicon Valley conference for women Tuesday to begin testing out her policy positions prior to the expected launch of an official 2016 campaign for the White House.

The former first lady touched on topics including taking on Islamic State (ISIS) militants and the economy here at home. She also came out in favor of Net Neutrality.

Shying away from the mention of deploying ground troops, Hillary advocated the use of air power and soldiers from within the region, including Iraq, to take on ISIS, according to a report by Politico.

Hillary Clinton on Tuesday dismissed the idea of putting American or Western troops on the ground to combat the Islamic State militant group, instead favoring “air force, but also army soldiers from the region, and particularly from Iraq,” in fighting what she said would be a “long-term struggle.”…

“It’s a very hard challenge, because you can’t very well put American or Western troops into fight this organism,” she said, in her clearest statement yet on the topic. “You have to use, not only air force but also army soldiers from the region and particularly from Iraq … A lot of the right moves are being made, but this is a really complicated and long-term problem.”

Sounding a familiar—and likely to be repeated—theme for Hillary, she also invoked issues impacting women in the workplace. It’s mostly assumed any campaign effort will place a significant amount of effort on reaching female voters, as she endeavors to become the first female president of the United States.

Clinton unveiled a litany of data detailing the barriers to entry for women in technology, and said she would release her anticipated “No Ceilings” report on women’s rights on March 9, which is one day before she is scheduled to headline a United Nations conference on women’s rights.

“In so many ways our economy seems to be operating like it’s still 1955,” she said at one point. “And that’s not just a problem for women, it’s a problem for everyone.”

While lauding the technology field in general, Clinton also was careful to touch on subjects that can be sensitive in any industry, including rising CEO pay. She also called for a higher minimum wage, pay fairness, and paid leave policies. The audience at the event, Lead On Watermark Silicon Valley Conference for Women, was largely receptive.

Beyond that, her talking points were mostly boiler plate Democrat Party rhetoric.