Gates embraces the "Long War" term that his predecessor, Donald H. Rumsfeld, invoked to equate the fight against terrorism with struggles against Soviet communism and Nazi fascism. His strategy, however, departs from Rumsfeld's focus on pre-emptive military action and instead encourages current and future U.S. leaders to work with other countries to eliminate the conditions that foster extremism.
"The use of force plays a role, yet military efforts to capture or kill terrorists are likely to be subordinate to measures to promote local participation in government and economic programs to spur development, as well as efforts to understand and address the grievances that often lie at the heart of insurgencies," the document said. "For these reasons, arguably the most important military component of the struggle against violent extremists is not the fighting we do ourselves, but how well we help prepare our partners to defend and govern themselves."
It is unusual for a defence secretary to offer a comprehensive military strategy so late in an administration's tenure, and in a foreword to the document Gates acknowledges that a new president will soon reassess threats and priorities. Gates wrote that he perceives this document as a "a blueprint to success" for a future administration.
http://newageislam.com/gates-sees-terrorism-remaining-enemy-no.-1/war-on-terror/d/368
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11:45 PM
Moderate Islamist here
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