US State Dept: Greece a “Leading Force” in Counter-Terrorism
The US State Department has called Greece a "leading force" in counter-terrorism and a model for other countries to follow, praising its "determination and effectiveness" in confronting far-left and anarchist terrorism.
A State Department spokesperson made the statement in response to a question from Kathimerini, following Secretary of State Marco Rubio's recent remarks about the murder of Vagia Nestora. Rubio had described the killing bluntly, saying "a woman was executed because her daughter dared to run as a candidate."
"A woman was executed because her daughter dared to run as a candidate." — Marco Rubio
The spokesperson highlighted the long-standing security partnership between Athens and Washington, describing it as one of the strongest in the world. "In confronting far-left and anarchist terrorism together, Greece and the United States have built a lasting security cooperation relationship that ranks among the strongest globally," the statement read.
The State Department also noted that Greece showed exceptional resolve in tackling this threat even during periods when other governments had not yet fully recognized it or were downplaying its severity. That acknowledgment is significant, given that far-left terrorism in Greece claimed victims on both sides of the Atlantic for decades.
On Rubio's reference to November 17, the Greek domestic terrorist organization responsible for multiple assassinations including American targets, the State Department said the United States "will never forget" its personnel killed abroad in the line of duty.
Rubio had invoked examples of far-left political terrorism from Greece, the United States, and other countries in a broader argument that this category of terrorism represents an international threat requiring coordinated global response.
