DAVOS, Switzerland — Secretary of State John Kerry on Friday called for an ambitious campaign to combat the root causes of violent extremism, which he said represented one of the most grave threats to international order since the end of World War II.
In a lengthy address to a gathering here of world leaders and business executives, Mr. Kerry said that combating the Islamic State should be a top priority because the militant group was strong enough to seize and control territory in Syria and Iraq and posed a danger to the Middle East region.
But Mr. Kerry also urged the international community to mount efforts to reduce unemployment and carry out other programs that could dissuade young people from joining extremist causes, even if such initiatives were costly.
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“I have not seen a coherent strategy yet,” Mr. Allawi said. “What we see is scattered efforts.”
Alison Smale contributed reporting.
