Judson P Nelson

Oddity of Waging War on a Tactic: Reframing the Global War on Terror as a Global Counterinsurgency Judson P Nelson

Publisher Marketing: The US Global War on Terror is actually a Global Counterinsurgency as defined by FM 3-24 and Al Qaida is the global insurgent currently opposing the US. Al Qaida is held up as the global insurgent through the use of their own declarations in open-sources and their actions pursuant to what was stated in those open source reports. The Kinetic nature of terrorism and Al Qaida leads one to focus on the tactic of terrorism, not the insurgent nature of Al Qaida. There are two conflicting approaches being used now by the US: Law Enforcement and Military. A more effective and holistic method that blends the two approaches may prove more successful in the future. Key to this approach is to acknowledge the people as the center of gravity in any counterinsurgency and to act accordingly by separating them from the insurgents through methods both kinetic and non kinetic. One of the most effective ways nonkinetically to accomplish this is to go after the money of Al Qaida while ensuring economic opportunities for the people in play. A holistic counterinsurgency strategy would lend strategic clarity to the current fight against Al Qaida and allow for a broader approach to the problem on all levels.