Analysts criticise Obama remarks on instability

KABUL.

In his final Union of the State speech, Obama defended his approach to taking on the Islamic State, describing it as a dangerous threat to the United States that must be dealt with.

“Both Al Qaeda and now ISIL pose a direct threat to our people, because in today's world, even a handful of terrorists who place no value on human life, including their own, can do a lot of damage," Obama said.

Political science and law teacher at Kabul University Nasrullah Stanikzai said if the United States and all world powers wanted, they could do away with terrorism and injustices.

He told Pajhwok Afghan News that the countries Obama mentioned were not stable, but the US and NATO had no strategy to stabilise them.

“As Obama said the relations between Washington and Moscow are not improving with the passage of time, so this automatically and directly impacts the strengthening of terrorist groups in Afghanistan and the region.”

He said killing terrorists was not a solution, but world powers had to do away with injustices, poverty and ignorance.

International relations expert Ali Akbar Jamshidi said President Obama’s remarks about instability in Afghanistan were aimed to continue the conflict in the country.

He said the interests of world powers were linked to conflicts in some countries and that was why they did not want an end to instability in these countries.

“Russia once again wants to show itself a strong country of the world and has thus launched operations against terrorist groups including Daesh and this has worried the US which wants to have influence in the affected countries.”

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