Kasich: ‘We are not at war with Islam’

Presidential hopeful John Kasich on Tuesday warned against ostracizing Muslims after a series of terrorist attacks in Brussels.

“We are not at war with Islam — we’re at war with radical Islam,” the Ohio Republican told reporters in Minneapolis, according to The New York Times.

{mosads}“In our country, we don’t want to create divisions where we say, ‘OK, well, your religion, you’re a Muslim, so therefore we’re going to keep an eye on you,’” Kasich added.

“Frankly, for those who want to preserve Islam as a religion that is not at war with the West — we alienate them, how are we supposed to ever get the information we need? The last thing we need is more polarization.”

The governor also swiped at President Obama, criticizing him for attending a baseball game in Cuba after the bloodshed in Europe.

“If I were in Cuba right now, the last thing that I would be doing is going to a baseball game,” he said. “I would be going back to Washington.”

At least 30 people are dead and more than 200 others wounded after a trio of coordinated bombings across Brussels early Tuesday. Two blasts rocked Zaventem Airport, while another explosion struck a metro station near European Buildings in the Belgian capital.

The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has since claimed responsibility for the attack via the Amaq News Agency, an organization closely affiliated with the jihadist group.

Kasich’s response to Tuesday morning’s massacre follows more drastic measures proposed by his GOP presidential primary rivals.

Republican front-runner Donald Trump, for example, suggested he would temporarily “close up” America’s borders.

Trump also accused Islam of providing the most fertile ground for global terrorism, noting that “frankly, we’re having problems with Muslims.”

Ted Cruz, meanwhile, suggested that law enforcement “patrol and secure” America’s Muslim communities for potential radicalization.

Multiple Democrats and liberal organizations have slammed Cruz for the statement.