At his confirmation hearing Wednesday, former ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson made it clear that addressing "radical Islam" would be a top priority if he is confirmed as secretary of state. "We need to be honest about radical Islam," Tillerson said. "It is with good reason that our fellow citizens have a growing concern about radical Islam and murderous acts committed in its name against Americans and our friends."
He said the key to "thwarting radical Islam," which he noted "poses a grave risk to the stability of nations and the well-being of their citizens," is to defeat the Islamic State. "The demise of ISIS would also allow us to increase our attention on other agents of radical Islam like al-Qaeda, the Muslim Brotherhood, and certain elements within Iran," Tillerson said.
Alongside his push for addressing "radical Islam" head on, Tillerson vowed to make sure the State Department "does its part in supporting Muslims around the world who reject radical Islam in all its forms."
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