Washington: The US is working with its allies including Muslim-majority countries in “unprecedented ways” to defeat the wicked ideologies of the Islamic State terror group, National Security Advisor Lieutenant General H R McMaster said today.
All those who adhere to this ideology are irreligious criminals who use a perverted, what President Donald Trump has called, a wicked interpretation of religion in an effort to recruit young, impressionable people to their cause, to foment hatred and use that hatred to perpetuate violence, he said.
“We are working with allies and partners across the world, and especially in Muslim-majority countries, to do this (defeat) in really unprecedented ways,” the NSA told Fox News.
“So, what we have to do is break that cycle of ignorance, hatred, violence at all points, and we’re defeating Daesh (ISIS) in its so-called caliphate,” McMaster said.
Ninety-five per cent of the territory that they have controlled has been taken back and none of it has been regained by them, he said.
“But the other two things the president said we have to be able to do is cut off their financing, and to defeat their wicked ideology,” McMaster said.
Asked about Trump re-tweeting videos from a fringe anti- Muslim group, the NSA said: “President Trump is the best judge of why he did that.
“It was his intention to highlight the importance of creating safe and secure environments for our citizens — to make sure that we have the right laws in place, enforcement mechanisms in place, to ensure that, at this critical time, when ISIS is being defeated in the Middle East, that there is no return of terrorists and extremists who can pose a risk to the American people, or to our allies and partners”.
McMaster also said that Trump is not giving up on his middle east peace efforts.
“No, the president’s not giving up on the mideast peace agreement at all,” he said when asked about reports that Trump was planning to declare Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
“I think what the president is doing is reflecting what has been, a US law — you know, a waiver that’s been — that’s been done, I think, you know, 46 or 47 times and he’s following through on a pledge he made during his election.
“I’m not sure what decision he’ll make; we’ve given him options. There are options involving the move of an embassy at some point in the future, which I think, could be used to gain momentum toward a peace agreement, and a solution that works both for Israelis and for Palestinians,” he added.