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At U.N., Obama States His Case for Fighting ISIS With Ideas Obama’s Call at U.N. to Fight ISIS With Ideas Is Largely Seen as Futile
(about 2 hours later)
UNITED NATIONS — President Obama called upon a conclave of world leaders on Tuesday to fight violent extremism not just with weapons but ideas, jobs and good governance, a strategy he has long advocated. There are few signs that it is succeeding. President Obama called upon a conclave of world leaders on Tuesday to fight violent extremism not just with weapons but with ideas, jobs and good governance, a strategy he has long advocated. There are few signs that it is succeeding.
Military pressure, Mr. Obama said at a United Nations summit meeting, will be insufficient to vanquish groups like the Islamic State, also known as ISIS and ISIL.Military pressure, Mr. Obama said at a United Nations summit meeting, will be insufficient to vanquish groups like the Islamic State, also known as ISIS and ISIL.
“This means defeating their ideology,” Mr. Obama said. “Ideologies are not defeated with guns, they are defeated by better ideas — a more attractive and compelling vision.” “This means defeating their ideology,” he said. “Ideologies are not defeated with guns. They are defeated by better ideas — a more attractive and compelling vision.”
Mr. Obama spoke without having to hear a robust riposte to his strategy delivered within moments of his own speech, as was the case at the General Assembly on Monday when President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia defended his government’s support for President Bashar al-Assad of Syria and other authoritarians. Mr. Obama spoke without having to hear a robust riposte to his strategy moments later, which was what happened at the General Assembly on Monday when President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia defended his government’s support for President Bashar al-Assad of Syria and other authoritarians.
But the echoes of Mr. Putin’s more muscular strategy still reverberated in the United Nations hallways, where many leaders have little enthusiasm for the kind of political changes Mr. Obama has urged upon them that might empower or at least legitimize their political opponents.But the echoes of Mr. Putin’s more muscular strategy still reverberated in the United Nations hallways, where many leaders have little enthusiasm for the kind of political changes Mr. Obama has urged upon them that might empower or at least legitimize their political opponents.
Mr. Putin, in his speech Monday, said the American strategy of promoting democratic changes in the Middle East had backfired.Mr. Putin, in his speech Monday, said the American strategy of promoting democratic changes in the Middle East had backfired.
“Instead of the triumph of democracy and progress, we got violence poverty and social disaster,” Mr. Putin said. “And nobody cares a bit about human rights, including the right to life.”“Instead of the triumph of democracy and progress, we got violence poverty and social disaster,” Mr. Putin said. “And nobody cares a bit about human rights, including the right to life.”
Even Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. acknowledged in a candid moment when he arrived in New York that little would come of Tuesday’s meeting. He asked a group of reporters who were following him if they would stay awake at the United Nations meeting and “30 speeches about how we’re going to go after ISIS.”Even Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. acknowledged in a candid moment when he arrived in New York that little would come of Tuesday’s meeting. He asked a group of reporters who were following him if they would stay awake at the United Nations meeting and “30 speeches about how we’re going to go after ISIS.”
The conclave seemed to highlight the bewilderment of world leaders in how a movement like the Islamic State, which slaughters opponents, enslaves women and destroys historical artifacts, continues to attract followers from around the world.The conclave seemed to highlight the bewilderment of world leaders in how a movement like the Islamic State, which slaughters opponents, enslaves women and destroys historical artifacts, continues to attract followers from around the world.
Nearly 30,000 foreign recruits have poured into Syria and Iraq since 2011 from more than 100 countries, almost doubling the total that was estimated a year ago despite international efforts to tighten borders, share intelligence and enforce antiterrorism laws.Nearly 30,000 foreign recruits have poured into Syria and Iraq since 2011 from more than 100 countries, almost doubling the total that was estimated a year ago despite international efforts to tighten borders, share intelligence and enforce antiterrorism laws.
A $500 million Pentagon effort to train rebel forces to take on the Islamic State in Syria has produced only a handful of fighters. And the fight against the Islamic State has expanded far beyond its cradle in Iraq and Syria, where senior Pentagon officials recently said the struggle was at “a stalemate,” but also in North Africa. A $500 million Pentagon effort to train rebel forces to take on the Islamic State in Syria has produced only a handful of fighters. And the fight against the Islamic State has expanded beyond its cradle in Iraq and Syria — where, senior Pentagon officials recently said, the struggle is at “a stalemate” — into North Africa.
“We have ISIL taking root in areas that already are suffering from failed governance,” Mr. Obama said, adding, “And as a consequence of the vacuum that exists in many of these areas, ISIL has been able to dig in.” “We have ISIL taking root in areas that already are suffering from failed governance,” Mr. Obama said. “And as a consequence of the vacuum that exists in many of these areas, ISIL has been able to dig in.”
Islamic State combatants have shown themselves to be resilient, and the group is adept at attracting adherents through social media.Islamic State combatants have shown themselves to be resilient, and the group is adept at attracting adherents through social media.
At least eight Islamic State branches in the Middle East and Afghanistan have cropped up in recent years or have redefined themselves as allies, such as the Boko Haram insurgency group in Nigeria.At least eight Islamic State branches in the Middle East and Afghanistan have cropped up in recent years or have redefined themselves as allies, such as the Boko Haram insurgency group in Nigeria.
At the same time, international efforts to combat the Islamic State’s online propaganda messaging has been an abysmal failure, according to a recent State Department assessment.At the same time, international efforts to combat the Islamic State’s online propaganda messaging has been an abysmal failure, according to a recent State Department assessment.
So far, the Islamic State’s violent narrative — promulgated through thousands of messages each day — has effectively “trumped” the efforts of some of the world’s richest and most technologically advanced nations, the State Department assessment said.So far, the Islamic State’s violent narrative — promulgated through thousands of messages each day — has effectively “trumped” the efforts of some of the world’s richest and most technologically advanced nations, the State Department assessment said.
Some of the leaders attending the United Nations General Assembly this week acknowledged the challenges.Some of the leaders attending the United Nations General Assembly this week acknowledged the challenges.
“We need to win this propaganda war far more effectively than we have to date,” Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain said. The way to do that, Mr. Cameron said, was to stop the dissemination of hateful messaging in schools and prisons. “We need to win this propaganda war far more effectively than we have to date,” Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain said. The way to do that, he said, is to stop the dissemination of hateful messaging in schools and prisons.
“I believe in freedom of speech, but freedom to hate is not the same thing,” he said.“I believe in freedom of speech, but freedom to hate is not the same thing,” he said.
Such speeches concern rights activists, however, who say that laws in at least 30 countries designed to prevent people from joining the Islamic State could result in repression. Such speeches cause concern among rights activists, however, who say laws in at least 30 countries designed to prevent people from joining the Islamic State could result in repression.
“Governments are responsible for protecting their populations from violence by extremist groups, but that’s not a license to trample basic rights,” said Letta Tayler, senior terrorism and counterterrorism researcher at Human Rights Watch.“Governments are responsible for protecting their populations from violence by extremist groups, but that’s not a license to trample basic rights,” said Letta Tayler, senior terrorism and counterterrorism researcher at Human Rights Watch.
Russia intends to host its own meeting Wednesday in the Security Council devoted to counterterrorism efforts in the Middle East. It is expected to introduce a draft Security Council resolution along the lines of what Mr. Putin proposed in his General Assembly speech Monday — to authorize the “coordination” of anti-Islamic State activities in Syria. Russia intends to host its own meeting Wednesday in the Security Council devoted to counterterrorism efforts in the Middle East. It is expected to introduce a draft Council resolution along the lines of what Mr. Putin proposed in his General Assembly speech Monday — to authorize the “coordination” of anti-Islamic State activities in Syria.
Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius of France openly criticized the Russians for doing nothing to strike militarily. “They talk about fighting ISIL but I haven’t seen anything,” he told a group of reporters Tuesday morning. Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius of France openly criticized the Russians for doing nothing to strike militarily. “They talk about fighting ISIL, but I haven’t seen anything,” he told a group of reporters Tuesday morning.
The conclave on combating violent extremism coincided with an announcement on Tuesday by the Treasury Department in Washington that it was freezing the assets or preventing banking transactions for 15 people deemed to be key facilitators for the Islamic State.The conclave on combating violent extremism coincided with an announcement on Tuesday by the Treasury Department in Washington that it was freezing the assets or preventing banking transactions for 15 people deemed to be key facilitators for the Islamic State.
Among them are a Libyan national, Hasan al-Salahayn Salih al-Sha’ari, who after being released from an Iraqi prison in 2012 went on to found a branch of the Islamic State last year; and Ali Musa al-Shawakh, who was the Islamic State’s governor for Raqqa, Syria. Among them are a Libyan national, Hasan al-Salahayn Salih al-Sha’ari, who after being released from an Iraqi prison in 2012 went on to found a branch of the Islamic State last year, and Ali Musa al-Shawakh,  who was the Islamic State’s governor for Raqqa, Syria.
Such measures may be far less effective against the Islamic State than they were against Al Qaeda, because the Islamic State commands territory from which it can extract taxes, extortion fees, ransoms and other payments.Such measures may be far less effective against the Islamic State than they were against Al Qaeda, because the Islamic State commands territory from which it can extract taxes, extortion fees, ransoms and other payments.
Counterterrorism experts said Tuesday that while the Treasury designations would be unlikely to find any bank accounts or assets that could be frozen, they may be able to shut down some financing channels through otherwise legitimate businesses.Counterterrorism experts said Tuesday that while the Treasury designations would be unlikely to find any bank accounts or assets that could be frozen, they may be able to shut down some financing channels through otherwise legitimate businesses.
“Though ISIS runs a local and somewhat insular war economy, their financing does touch elements of the financial system — whether brokers in Turkey or microfinancing via social media,” said Juan Zarate, a former top counterterrorism official under President George W. Bush. “Treasury is trying to do whatever it can to disrupt ISIS’s ability to access the financial system and attempting to deter others from supporting the group.” “Though ISIS runs a local and somewhat insular war economy, their financing does touch elements of the financial system — whether brokers in Turkey or microfinancing via social media,” said Juan Zarate, a former top counterterrorism official under President George W. Bush. “Treasury is trying to do whatever it can to disrupt ISIS’ ability to access the financial system and attempting to deter others from supporting the group.”