The U.S. has focused much of its anti-terrorism plan on wiping out ISIS wherever the group and its leaders may be — from Iraq to Syria to Yemen.

That emphasis has concerned a lot of observers who are wondering whether that decision has weakened overall U.S. policy in some ways — even morally.

Journalist Anand Gopal has spent time recently on the ground in Syria and Iraq, reporting on ISIS and the refugee crisis. We spoke with Gopal and John Carlson, associate director for ASU’s Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict.