Because it started as an offshoot of al Qaeda in Iraq, ISIL has long been subject to U.N. sanctions, and all countries have a legal obligation to freeze its assets and prohibit its business dealings. But countries around the world need to do more to make these sanctions work.

Samantha Power’s quote discusses the global challenge of dealing with ISIL (the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant), emphasizing its origins as an offshoot of al-Qaeda in Iraq. She highlights that ISIL has long been under U.N. sanctions, which aim to disrupt its financial activities by freezing its assets and preventing its business dealings. These sanctions are part of the international effort to cut off the resources that fuel terrorism and destabilize regions.

However, Power points out that while these sanctions exist, countries around the world need to do more to ensure their effectiveness. She stresses the legal obligation that all nations have to enforce these sanctions, yet acknowledges that many countries fail to fully implement them. This reflects a broader concern about the lack of cooperation and the difficulty in ensuring that every nation plays its part in global counterterrorism efforts.

The quote underscores the importance of international collaboration in combatting terrorism. Power’s call for countries to do more is a reminder that sanctions, while a powerful tool, require rigorous and consistent enforcement to be successful. Without full cooperation, even the strongest sanctions can be undermined by those who continue to do business with ISIL or fail to freeze its assets.

Power’s remarks highlight the need for a united and coordinated approach to addressing global threats like ISIL. It reflects the ongoing struggle within the international community to ensure that legal measures, such as sanctions, are not just symbolic but actively contribute to the disruption of terrorist financing and the weakening of terrorist organizations.