Kerry on Countering ISIS

On October 17, Secretary of State John Kerry discussed U.S. policy on countering extremism in an op-ed entitled “U.S. Foreign Policy in a Changing World.” The following are excerpts on combatting ISIS and likeminded extremist groups.

A Counterterrorism Coalition of 65 members that carries with it the hopes of good and decent people everywhere

The fourth critical area in which the United States and our partners have come together and that is the fight against international terrorist organizations. Along with climate change, this may well be the defining challenge of our generation.

The opposition to international terrorists – whether groups like ISIL (or Daesh) in the Middle East, al-Shahbaab in East Africa, and Boko Haram in West Africa – and repugnance at their actions has become a powerful unifying force. As it should be, because the terrorists are committing heinous crimes that include: destroying ancient cultural treasures; attacking schools and butchering teachers; beheading innocent journalists; and literally auctioning off terrified girls in a modern day slave market complete with notarized sales contracts; and using the term “marriage” to describe what is actually systematic rape.

Daesh is doomed to fail, but it has the ability to inflict immense suffering between now and when that failure is fully realized. That is why we must hasten its decline. And we are.

Over the past 14 months, the 65 member U.S.-led Global Coalition has launched thousands of air strikes forcing Daesh to change how it conducts military operations and impeded its command and control. The Coalition continues to strike Daesh targets in both Iraq and Syria, degrading its leadership and putting it under more pressure than ever before.

In Syria, we see a chance to increase pressure on Daesh from more than one direction, especially if Russia makes good on its commitment to help. But the reality is there will be no end to the refugee crisis until there is an end to the conflict. That is and has been our goal. To find a way out of this conflict we have to bring together all who oppose both despotism and terrorism. And the way to do that is through a diplomatic process that gives hope to every Syrian who wants to marginalize the extremists and put in place a government capable of uniting and leading the whole country.

These initiatives are distinct in purpose, but each requires both American leadership and the strong support of our partners. Each is a product of principle and pragmatism, embodying both what we should do and what we can do. And each will have an impact that extends far beyond the headlines of the day.

While we know we must address the immediate crises of the day, our strategy must also lay the groundwork for solutions that will strengthen the community of nations for decades to come. To succeed in that, we must mobilize the help and support of allies and friends across the globe. We must make the best use of every foreign policy tool, from multilateral institutions to the selective and necessary use of force, to uphold democratic principles and strengthen the rule of law. And we must be willing to invest in American leadership like the richly blessed nation we are.

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