United States President Donald Trump on Sunday urged leaders of Saudi Arabia to “drive out terrorists and extremists”, reported Reuters, while on his first trip abroad since assuming office. Trump mentioned India in the list of nations that had been victims of terrorism. “The nations of Europe have also endured unspeakable horror,” he said. “So too have the nations of Africa and South America. India, Russia, China, and Australia have all been victims.”
The US president chose to refrain from making his characteristically unbridled statements against the Muslim community as he spoke about terrorism, and instead singled out Iran as the facilitator for militant groups.
“This is not a battle between different faiths, different sects, or different civilisations,” the president said. “This is a battle between barbaric criminals who seek to obliterate human life, and decent people of all religions who seek to protect it.”
“Terrorism has spread all across the world,” Trump said. “But the path to peace begins right here, on this ancient soil, in this sacred land. A better future is only possible if your nations drive out the terrorists and drive out the extremists. Drive them out! Drive them out of your places of worship, drive them out of your communities, drive them out of your holy land and drive them out of this earth.”
Trump’s statement against Iran came a day after Hassan Rouhani won a second term as the country’s president. Trump said Iran had “fuelled the fires of sectarian conflict and terror for decades.” He added, “It is a government that speaks openly of mass murder, vowing the destruction of Israel, death to America, and ruin for many leaders and nations in this very room.”
Saudi King Salaman agreed with Trump, saying, “Our responsibility before God and our people and the whole world is to stand united to fight the forces of evil and extremism wherever they are ... The Iranian regime represents the tip of the spear of global terrorism.”
The Sunni-dominated Saudi Arabia, from which the terrorists that carried out the September 11 attacks hailed, is one of the US’ closest military allies. Iran, on the other hand, is led by the Shia sect, which has historically been at war with the Sunnis. On Sunday, Trump signed a $110-billion arms agreement with Saudi Arabia. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had said the deal in addition to other investments Washington makes in Riyadh could amount to a total of $350 billion
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