Van Creveld IV.

This is coolbert:

In finality from the Martin van Creveld Internet web site we conclude:

"How to Fight Daesh"

EMPHASIS AS SPECIFIED BY MARTIN ON NOT ONLY FIGHTING, BUT WINNING! ANYTHING LESS THAT VICTORY IS DEFEAT! VICTORY AS MEANING THE OBLITERATION OF ISIL!

"Focus on the most important problem of all, i.e. how to fight and win."

WHAT TO DO:

1.  ". . . The essence of the problem is political. Let Presidents Obama, Putin and Arduan [Erdogan of Turkey] finally decide on who the main enemy is and start cooperating against him. Even if it means leaving President Assad in place, at least for the time being. Let the US, Russia, and Turkey mount a combined air offensive against Daesh, targeting its forces in Syria as well as the oilfields from which it draws its revenue in Iraq. However, as over a year of strikes by aircraft and drones has shown all too clearly, air operations on their own will not do the trick."

2. "France and Europe. Stop shilly-shallying and start controlling immigration by every available means with the objective of bringing it to a halt. Also at sea to take care of Libya.

3. "The intelligence services. Passive measures on their own are insufficient. What is needed is a high-quality organization capable of identifying terrorists, tracking them, and foiling their plots ahead of time by arresting or killing them if necessary. Also, of tracing the financial flows on which they depend and making them dry up."

4. "The courts. An essential part of any anti-terrorist campaign is deterrence. So make sure judges have the necessary authority to do what has to be done. The establishment of special courts with augmented authority for the purpose should be considered."

WHAT NOT TO DO:

1. At all cost, don’t allow mobs to attack real and suspected terrorists and lynch them without due process of law.

2. For the same reason, do refrain from using collective punishments. There is a good chance that they will turn out to be counter-productive.

3. Finally, the war on terror will not be won quickly. So do not expect quick results and do not allow yourself to be discouraged by possible setbacks.

And in finality: "Good luck"

And thank you Martin van Creveld.

coolbert.