UN Security Council ‘fell short in its responsibility to aid fight against terrorism’

The US has vetoed a UN resolution calling for the prosecution, rehabilitation and reintegration of all those engaged in terrorism-related activities, saying it did not call for the repatriation from Syria and Iraq of foreign fighters for the Islamic State extremist group and their families which is “the crucial first step.”

Drafted by Indonesia — a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council — the text drew support from 14 members, with the US the only one to vote against.

US Ambassador Kelly Craft (@USAmbUN) Tweeted: “Today the @UN Security Council fell short in its responsibility to aid the fight against terrorism. The US made the responsible decision to veto the draft resolution that failed to acknowledge repatriation of foreign terrorist fighters & their families as a crucial first step.”

According to The Associated Press, Ambassador Kelly Craft said the resolution, ”supposedly designed to reinforce international action on counter-terrorism, was worse than no resolution at all.”

She dismissed it as “a cynical and willfully oblivious farce.”

In her statement explaining the US veto, Craft pointed to her comments at a council meeting on counter-terrorism last week.

She stressed then that repatriation and accountability for crimes by fighters for the IS extremist group, also known as ISIS, and their family members are essential so they “do not become the nucleus of an ISIS 2.0.”