A GLOBAL COUNTERINSURGENCY….Jonathan Morgenstein and Eric Vickland write in the Boston Globe today that the insurgency in Iraq ? and our lack of success in defeating it ? is a microcosm of the broader global struggle against terrorism:
This global insurgency can only be defeated by severing the insurgents’ connections to populations that sustain them. We must isolate and smother an enemy who thrives by delivering empowerment and vengeance to populations drowning in poverty, social humiliation, and political marginalization. These masses in return sustain the enemy ? passively with cover and actively with fighters. We have to convince those who passively support the insurgency that we are not their enemy. Unfortunately, our current strategy overemphasizing military force drives undecided millions into the insurgents’ arms. Not only are we fighting the war wrong, we are fighting the wrong war.
This is not very sexy, but it’s quite likely correct. Is anyone listening?
