Fight on terror not a battle between religions: Trump

RIYADH — United States President Donald Trump in a centrepiece speech last night rallied leaders from around the Muslim world in a renewed campaign against extremism, rejecting the idea that the fight is a battle between religions.

Declaring terrorism to be a “battle between good and evil,” Mr Trump said it should be fought by “decent people of all religions”.

“This is not a battle between different faiths, different sects, or different civilisations,” he told a gathering of more than 50 Arab and Muslim leaders.

“This is a battle between those who seek to obliterate human life and those who seek to protect it. This is a battle between good and evil.”

The US leader said this means “honestly confronting the crisis of Islamist extremism and the Islamist terror groups it inspires. And it means standing together against the murder of innocent Muslims, the oppression of women, the persecution of Jews and the slaughter of Christians”.

Mr Trump is currently on his first presidential trip abroad, with Saudi Arabia the first stop on a nine-day journey that includes Israel, Italy and Belgium.

His speech was meant as a reset from the harsher tone and policies he has adopted as a candidate last year and in the early days of his presidency.

During his presidential campaign, Mr Trump had said he thought that “Islam hates us”, and proposed a ban on all Muslims entering the US.

The president made clear in his address that Washington would partner with the Middle East but expected more action in return.

“The nations of the Middle East cannot wait for American power to crush this enemy for them,” he said. “The nations of the Middle East will have to decide what kind of future they want for themselves, for their countries and for their children.”

The US, for its part, will “make decisions based on real-world outcomes, not inflexible ideology”, and “whenever possible, we will seek gradual reforms, not sudden intervention,” he added.

He also sought to chart a new course for America’s role in the region, one aimed squarely at rooting out terrorism, with less focus on promoting human rights and democratic reforms.

“We are not here to lecture — we are not here to tell other people how to live, what to do, who to be, or how to worship. Instead, we are here to offer partnership — based on shared interests and values — to pursue a better future for us all.”

Mr Trump’s speech capped a frenetic, whirlwind day of diplomacy. The Trump administration and Saudi Arabia announced they would create a joint Terrorist Financing Targeting Centre to formalise longstanding cooperation and search for new ways to cut off sources of money for radical groups.

Mr Trump also met the leaders of four Arab states — Bahrain, Egypt, Kuwait and Qatar — and collectively with the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council as well as with dozens of leaders from around the Muslim world.

He promised to schedule a trip to Egypt soon, and praised Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Sisi, telling him: “You have done a tremendous job under trying circumstances.”

Reinforcing his theme of US economic deals, Mr Trump told Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim Hamad Thani they would discuss “lots of beautiful military equipment because nobody makes it like the United States”. AGENCIES