John Brennan's repudiation of torture was noteworthy because of his past statements. But in his speech today, he aggressively outlined the Obama administration's more comprehensive approach to fighting terrorism, based not solely on battling al-Qaeda but on the "draining the swamps" approach--improving those social conditions the administration believes contribute to the lure of extremism.
Rather than treating so many of our foreign affairs programs—foreign assistance, development, democracy promotion—as simply extensions of the fight against terrorists, we will do these things—promote economic growth, good governance, transparency and accountability—because they serve our common interests and common security; not just in regions gripped by violent extremism, but around the world.
At the same time, Brennan added that while poverty and lack of education do not "cause" terrorism, "there is no denying that when children have no hope for an education, when young people have no hope for a job and feel disconnected from the modern world, when governments fail to provide for the basic needs of their people, then people become more susceptible to ideologies of violence and death." Addressing this issue, Brennan spoke directly on Hamas and Hezbollah:
The extremists know this; wherever governments are unable to provide for the legitimate needs of their people, these groups step into the void. It is why they offer free education to impoverished Pakistani children, where they can recruit and indoctrinate the next generation. It is why Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza provide so many social services to the poor even as they commit heinous acts of terror. It is why the terrorist warlord in Somalia can so easily recruit a destitute teenager who sees nothing but a future of poverty and despair.A key part of the Obama administration's counterterrorism effort then, is helping that destitute teenager see a new future. If that sounds familiar, it's because it's the exact approach to fighting terrorism that Spencer Ackerman outlined in TAP in March of last year.
-- A. Serwer
