In a strategy draft made by US president Donald Trump obtained by Reuters, the controversial head of state urges US allies to contribute more on the war against terror and must shoulder more of the burden in combating jihadists and Islamist militants around the world.
What does Trump require of US allies?
trump bluntly said in the draft that the United States military should reduce the costs of American blood and treasure.
Trump wants US allies to have an increased responsibility for countering terrorism and not only rely on the capabilities of the United States.
The draft is part of a strategy document which when published will be the first outline of combating Islamic extremism in six years. However, many are fearful of the backlash of such a document, especially with Trump's hasty decisions over Muslim immigrants.
How will the US coordinate with its allies to defeat Islamic extremism?
Trump stated also on the draft that Islamist extremism cannot be defeated with any sort of finality. However he wants US allies to be perpetually alert against terrorism.
Trump also desires to avoid military interventions in the Middle East, though his attacks in Syria grossly entangled the US in country's civil war.
However the major issue of Trump's anti-terrorism policy is the lack of preeminence of human rights in all of his decisions. Blanket banning Muslims from Middle Eastern countries is one of those policies that is substantially against the constitution of the United States.
What is the current status of the fight against terror?
At the moment, ISIS is still rampant in the Middle East and the US-backed Syrian rebels are still desperately fighting for their lives. The US have started to help Kurdish fighters to retake Raqqa despite the ire coming from Turkey, who is another problem that Trump needs to deal with.
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Though American forces are not directly attacking ISIS on the ground, the Pentagon relies heavily on Syrian rebels and the Kurds to do the job. However, it is important to know that at the moment, only the United States is actively pursuing the destruction of ISIS and other terrorist cells abroad. It is this problem that Trump wants to change.
What is the global reaction to US policy of destroying terrorism?
Russia is not fond of the US meddling in the Middle East as it might again destabilize the region like what happened during Bush's invasion of Iraq and the toppling of Saddam Hussein. Trump is treading thin ice as he tries to rally the world into defeating an enemy that he himself admits cannot be done.