Kerry: Government corruption at heart of terrorism
Secretary of State John Kerry issued a call Friday for political and business leaders around the globe to demand accountability from leaders of corrupt governments, arguing such governance is the root cause of terror.
"We have to acknowledge in all quarters of leadership that the plagues of violent extremism, greed, lust for power, sectarian exploitation, often find their nourishment where governments are fragile and leaders are incompetent or dishonest," Kerry said during a keynote address at the World Economic Forum.
He cited Ukraine and Syria, specifically, noting the effect state governments can have on the rest of the world.
"In Ukraine under the previous regime, official venality and greed triggered an international crisis. In Syria, Assad was unwilling to respond to the legitimate concerns of young people who came out in the streets to demonstrate for opportunity for jobs, for education."
Kerry spent a large part of his address touting what he believes to be the success of the Iran nuclear deal, officially known as "the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action." He said both the Middle East and the world are safer because of it.
"Because of the unprecedented monitoring and verification requirements that are an integral part of the plan, the world can now be confident in precisely what Iran is doing," Kerry said.
But Kerry acknowledged one day prior there is a possibility some of the expected $55 billion Iran will have access to could end up in terrorists' possession.
"I think that some of it will end up in the hands of the IRGC or other entities, some of which are labeled terrorists," he said in an interview Thursday with CNBC. "You know, to some degree, I'm not going to sit here and tell you that every component of that can be prevented. But I can tell you this: Right now, we are not seeing the early delivery of funds going to that kind of endeavor at this point in time."
Kerry told a small group of reporters later that day if Iran is caught funneling money to terrorists, "they're going to have a problem in the U.S. Congress and other people, obviously."
The World Economic Forum address comes on the heels of Iran's release of four Americans of Iranian descent in exchange for seven Iranians who had been held for violating U.S. sanctions and an agreement to drop international arrest warrants for 14 others. This week, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed new sanctions on 11 companies and individuals who the United States believes helped to advance Iran's ballistic missile program.