Senator wants ‘comprehensive strategy’ to fight extremism

Sen. Angus King on Wednesday said he hopes the Obama administration’s summit on countering violent extremism will lead to a “comprehensive strategy” for preventing militants and their supporters from radicalizing young people.

“For too long, the United States’ strategy to fight terrorism focused primarily on military strikes,” King, an independent from Maine who caucuses with Democrats, said in a statement.

“But if we really want to reduce violent extremism around the world, then we must also do a better job of identifying the fundamental causes behind it and developing a sustainable and encompassing strategy to prevent it,” he added.

{mosads}The White House conference began on Tuesday, with Vice President Biden leading a roundtable discussion with officials from cities across the country that have set up programs designed to counter extremism in their communities.

President Obama will speak at a gathering of representatives from more than 60 nations, the White House on Wednesday. He will deliver remarks at the State Department on Thursday.

In an op-ed published late Tuesday, the president asked world leaders to do more to combat extremist groups, and not just with military force.

“Our campaign to prevent people around the world from being radicalized to violence is ultimately a battle for hearts and minds,” Obama wrote.

King, a member of the Senate Armed Services and Intelligence panels, echoed the president’s message.

“One of the biggest dangers today is that too many young people across the world who feel disenfranchised or who have lost hope in their future are falling for the false promises of violent extremism,” he said.

King called the summit an “encouraging step in addressing this problem, but I hope the progress that will be made today will evolve into a more comprehensive strategy to defeat extremism in concert with our allies and partners abroad.”