National secur it y

NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY

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throughout the interagency, and our international partners. They delivered justice to Osama bin Laden 

and significantly degraded al-Qa’ida’s core leadership. They helped increase life expectancy, access to 

education, and opportunities for women and girls. Going forward, we will work with partners to carry out 

a limited counterterrorism mission against the remnants of core al-Qa’ida and maintain our support to 

the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF). We are working with NATO and our other partners to train, 

advise, and assist the ANSF as a new government takes responsibility for the security and well-being 

of Afghanistan’s citizens. We will continue to help improve governance that expands opportunity for 

all Afghans, including women and girls. We will also work with the countries of the region, including 

Pakistan, to mitigate the threat from terrorism and to support a viable peace and reconciliation process 

to end the violence in Afghanistan and improve regional stability. 

We have undertaken a comprehensive effort to degrade and ultimately defeat ISIL. We will continue to 

support Iraq as it seeks to free itself from sectarian conflict and the scourge of extremists. Our support 

is tied to the government’s willingness to govern effectively and inclusively and to ensure ISIL cannot 

sustain a safe haven on Iraqi territory. This requires professional and accountable Iraqi Security Forces 

that can overcome sectarian divides and protect all Iraqi citizens. It also requires international support, 

which is why we are leading an unprecedented international coalition to work with the Iraqi government 

and strengthen its military to regain sovereignty. Joined by our allies and partners, including multiple 

countries in the region, we employed our unique military capabilities to arrest ISIL’s advance and to 

degrade their capabilities in both Iraq and Syria. At the same time, we are working with our partners to 

train and equip a moderate Syrian opposition to provide a counterweight to the terrorists and the brutal-

ity of the Assad regime. Yet, the only lasting solution to Syria’s civil war remains political—an inclusive 

political transition that responds to the legitimate aspirations of all Syrian citizens.