US ambassador hails UAE's fight against terrorism

Dubai - US ambassador says UAE is a strong partner in countering Daesh.

The US ambassador to the UAE praised the country for its efforts in the global fight against terrorism and for offering "a clear narrative that counters the dark vision that Daesh and its allies perpetuate."
Speaking on Tuesday night on board the USS Harry S. Truman, a nuclear-powered US Navy aircraft carrier docked at Jebel Ali, Ambassador Barbara Leaf said: "The UAE has been one of the strongest (US) partners in countering Daesh,,,, (It) is the first country that stepped forward and asked to fly with us in the skies above Syria; asked the toughest mission to fly at night and went in the most dangerous assignments - you cannot ask for no greater partner than that."
"(The UAE) has heavily contributed - in full spectrum of capabilities - in the effort in Iraq, Syria, the region, and beyond," she added.
But the valuable contribution of the UAE in the fight against extremism is not just in the military sphere, Leaf underscored.
"In addition to launching strikes in Syria, the UAE has distinguished itself by offering a counter to that very dark vision that Daesh perpetuates," she said.
"It offers that vision right here in the UAE and it has demonstrated that Daesh narrative is both anti-Islamic and nihilistic and offers no future at all to the uplift of this region," noted the American ambassador.
"The UAE has engagement programmes that rebut the lies and toxic vision while providing the positive and authentic narrative to help undermine the Daesh ideology," Leaf added.
Meanwhile, the US Ambassador also offered her deepest condolences to the families of those who died in the series of Daesh attacks in Belgium on Tuesday.
When asked by Khaleej Times if she felt the UAE is safe from terrorists attacks, she said: "We cannot make any assumptions. Countries all over the world have felt the effects of this terrorism and nobody can assume that they are safe. But we will be safer in the ultimate quest of what we are undertaking together to defeat Daesh."
"The UAE and US have excellent collaboration across a range of activities. The security service here (in the UAE) is first rate and we have a lot of information exchanges in counter-terrorism."
"We are prepared to continue fighting Daesh to the end so that the group cannot continue to spread its poison into this region and around the world," Leaf added.
Commander Kevin Stephens, a spokesman for US Naval Forces Central Command, also told Khaleej Times: "Every strike we take is degrading Daesh's ability to operate and finance themselves. We're striking oil infrastructure; we're striking the means they used to move arms and money. Daesh already lost 40 per cent of the territory they once held in Iraq."
angel@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE