Wider Strategy Needed to Deal With Terrorists

Declaring war on the self-declared Islamic State is but one step in a long war against terror groups anticipated to emerge from a chaotic Middle East. While some critics in the United States question why their government must participate, this new phase in a war on terror could involve 40 nations and last for years, argues Mohammed Fahad Al-Harthi, editor with Arab News. Political disagreements over governance and the Arab Spring along with religious strife and war have contributed to dislocations and disruptions in work and education for Libya, Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Gaza and beyond. The upheavals allow terrorists to misrepresent the Koran and Islam. Incubation of terrorism in the Middle East poses a global threat, and the international community must understand and tackle the root causes. A US campaign is not enough, the essay concludes, and the conflict requires joint effort from multiple nations. – YaleGlobal