'Radical Islam' label not helpful, top Trump aide says

Using the label “radical Islamic terrorism” does not help advance US foreign policy goals, according to US President Donald Trump’s newly-appointed national security advisor, General Herbert Raymond McMaster.

In his first meeting with the National Security Council on Thursday, McMaster said terrorists using Islam’s name “aren’t true to their religion” and the term radical Islam is not helpful for the US’ cooperation with its allies, according to media reports.

Is it not the first time McMaster, who was appointed Monday after his predecessor Michael Flynn was fired over his contacts with Russian officials, expressed this opinion.

Read: Islamophobia is fuelling terrorism says UN chief

In May last year, he said groups like Daesh use an “irreligious idelogy.” In November, he said in a speech: “We will defeat today’s enemies, including terrorist organisations like Daesh, who cynically use a perverted interpretation of religion to incite hatred and justify horrific cruelty against innocents.”

McMaster’s take on the matter stands in stark contrast to President Trump, who uses the term regularly.

In a speech on Friday, President Trump said, “Let me state this as clearly as I can: We are going to keep radical Islamic terrorists the hell out of our country.”