U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says Islamic State militants are not going to be left “unchecked” to spread destruction across the Mideast region. Kerry discussed U.S. coalition-building efforts to fight the militant group and other issues in an interview with VOA's Afghan Service.
Kerry says there will be setbacks that could allow the Islamic State to make temporary gains in Syria and Iraq, as the U.S. continues building an international coalition to fight the militant group.
“There will be disappointments in the course of that, as we are witnessing in Kobani [Syria], and in other places - in Anbar [Iraq] and elsewhere because it is just ramping up. It is just getting going," he said.
But Kerry said he believes the U.S. and its allies will eventually prevail.
“In the end, ISIL will recognize that the power of justice and law, and rule of law and civility is much more powerful than their hatred and their atrocities," he said.
Kerry also discussed Turkey's role in the crisis, in particular, criticism that Turkey has been slow to provide assistance to efforts to fight the militants - some of them right across its border in neighboring Syria.
“Turkey is participating, and Turkey will be helping in certain ways. But, it is clear that different parties don't want Turkey on the ground in Kobane, ranging from Kurds themselves to Iraqis to Syrians and so forth," he said.
In the interview, Kerry also praised Pakistani education activist Malala Yousafzai and Indian children right's campaigner Kailash Satyarthi, this year's Nobel Peace Prize recipients.
“I think the two of them together represent an incredibly appropriate statement about the importance of women and children," he said.
He added that when it comes to women's rights, no country can “maximize its potential” if it pushes half of its population to the sidelines.
Watch the entire interview with Secretary of State John Kerry:
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Interview with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, Oct. 10, 2014