Hillary Clinton criticized Muslim allies for delaying counterterrorism efforts. Clinton calls out Muslim allies for waffling on counterterrorism

Hillary Clinton took the unusual step of putting some of America's Muslim allies on notice Saturday night, saying they "have got to make up their minds" about where they stand in the battle against terrorism.

The presidential candidate called out Turkey and the Gulf Arab states during the Democratic debate, suggesting they've equivocated for too long about how far they will go to stop extremists.


"Are they going to stand with us against this kind of jihadi radicalism or not?" Clinton asked. "And there are many ways of doing it. They can provide sources, they can provide resources. But they need to be absolutely clear about where they stand."

The former secretary of state's blunt talk is fairly rare for Obama administration-linked power players in Washington, D.C., many of whom — even off the record — are extremely careful about how they discuss countries such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey.

Clinton did not specify which Gulf Arab states she was referring to, but those countries are considered critical allies in the fight against Islamist extremists. At the same time, some of those countries, in particular Saudi Arabia, spend enormous money promoting conservative versions of Sunni Islam that are believed to help breed extremism.

And although the Arab governments have issued bans and taken other steps to prevent it, funding from their private citizens is believed to help sustain many terrorist groups.

Turkey also has proven a frustrating ally at times, with lingering questions about its commitment to battling the Islamic State terrorist group. The U.S. has urged the country to do more to seal its borders to prevent Islamic State extremists from traveling to and from Syria, but it appears more interested in cracking down on separatist Kurds.