Counterterrorism

U.S. Proceeding with New Strategy to Counter ISIL 

The State Department is pursuing an alternative approach to counter the Islamic State’s online propaganda and in turn stymie the group’s recruitment of foreign terrorist fighters, according to a senior government official. 

“There is no question we need to do more to counter ISIL’s propaganda and online radicalization and recruitment efforts,” said Tina Kaidanow, ambassador-at-large and coordinator for counterterrorism at State. “We recognize that the most effective messengers are our partners in majority Muslim countries, and we also understand frankly that governments are not usually the best agents for delivering this kind of content or pushing back on the kind of messaging ISIL utilizes,” she said during an event hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington, D.C., think tank.