A Democratic senator argued Thursday that “corruption and the dysfunction that follows it fuels violent extremism” around the world, at a hearing focusing on the dangers of failing governments abroad.
“Corruption pushes young people towards violence and extremism because they lose faith in institutions that are supposed to protect and serve them. And terrorist groups use corruption to recruit followers in their hateful crimes,” said Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., at a hearing held by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Cardin said that “where there is a high level of corruption, we find fragile states.” He listed unstable regions that have become hubs of violent extremism like Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq and Syria, as examples of notable threats to international security.
The Democratic senator reached across the aisle by thanking committee colleague Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, for sponsoring the Foreign Aid Transparency and Accountability Act which was passed yesterday, stating that he believes the policy will help to ensure that taxpayer money is used to build stable states abroad.
