Weak and Repressive Governments Led to the Rise of Islamic State, Says US Secretary of Defense

Weak and repressive governments in Iraq and Syria allowed the rise of the so-called Islamic State (IS), and the only way to defeat the insurgency is to rein in the multiple, often-competing militia fighting IS and bring the group under the central control of the Iraqi government, the US's top defense official told VICE News.

Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter made the comments in an interview with VICE founder Shane Smith in response to a question on how the US-led coalition plans to stem the ascent of IS, also known as ISIS or ISIL, in parts of Iraq where last summer it established a self-proclaimed caliphate.

"Those Shiite forces that are under the commanding control of the Iraqi government in Baghdad, we support," Carter said. "Those that are off doing their own thing or doing someone else's thing, we don't support," he added, referring indirectly to those militia under control of dominant Shiite regional power Iran.

Iran has begun conducting airstrikes against militant targets and is sending ground troops to defeat the Islamic State in Iraq — a source of both comfort and concern for Western and Arab nations. Currently, the coalition is engaged only in airstrikes against the Islamic State, and Iran's troops on the ground are seen by some as a tentacled power grab.

Iran's leadership is also currently engaged in a number of foreign military actions disturbing regional stability, including its backing of Shiite Houthi rebels in Yemen and its alleged moves to develop a nuclear arsenal, although international powers are currently engaged in talks with Iran to secure a deal with the nation from obtaining such weaponry.

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A meaningful defeat of IS insurgency in Iraq requires that "anybody who's fighting ISIL be under the control of the Iraqi government in Baghdad and not off on their own, let alone under the control of a foreign power," Carter said.

Carter explained that the US aims to "recreate a multi-sectarian approach by the government of Baghdad — which the previous government eroded — to defeat ISIL."

"We have made our assistance to the fight, which is from the air, conditional upon the Iraqi government approaching this," he added, "and the only way that's going to work in the long run … is a multi-sectarian way."

The defense secretary also said that it is now up to the current Iraqi government to not repeat the same mistakes made by the previous regime that incubated the insurgency through "oppressing" rather than "protecting" the people. He added that some residents of that country may have come to regret the decision to seek an alternative power in the Islamic State, and would likely now "welcome an alternative," which the "Baghdad government needs to present to them."

That means the Iraqi administration, led by Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, must let the people know they "can have a better life" and "don't have to be subject to the barbarism of ISIL," Carter said.

Watch Part 1 of the Ashton Carter interview here

Parts 3 and 4 of VICE's interview with Ashton Carter are coming soon.

Follow Liz Fields on Twitter: @lianzifields