Is the Islamic State a Terrorist Group or an Insurgency? By Jerry Meyerle, Defense One
President Obama has promised to “degrade and ultimately destroy” the Islamic State through a “comprehensive and sustained counterterrorism strategy”. If the group is a terrorist organization like al-Qaeda in Yemen or Pakistan, then the president’s strategy might work. But if the Islamic State represents a larger insurgency against the governments in Baghdad and Damascus, then a strategy focused on airstrikes and a small non-combat advisory effort is bound to disappoint. In fact, it could prove counterproductive…