To wage the global war on terrorism, the leaders of the United States have settled on one basic strategy. Taking advantage of their extraordinary military power, they have tried to kill their way to victory.
Many in Washington believe the strategy is correct. They argue the terrorists are inherently evil and must be vanquished from the planet. In the case of the Islamic State, both President Barack Obama and President Donald Trump have insisted that the only way to deal with the group is to forcefully eradicate it from the face of the Earth.
At the same time, many in Washington acknowledge their strategy will never bring an end to terrorism. They cite the various factors that give rise to terrorism, including the hatred that is generated by repressive regimes, the fact that a number of countries support terrorism, and the general sense of desperation that is felt by many people around the world. Unless these factors are addressed, they argue, terrorism will remain a problem.
As the discussion continues, the Trump administration is intensifying the global war on terrorism. With its approach, the administration is perpetuating a strategy of endless war that is doing nothing to address the underlying causes of terrorism.
The Problem of the Iraqi Government
Long before the Trump administration entered office, U.S. officials had already identified many factors that cause people to turn to terrorism. For example, they knew that they faced a…