Publication

This paper describes a debate between strategists and military officers that took place at a global war on terror symposium. The discussion focuses on the merits of the counterinsurgency doctrine and its deficiencies and on assessing whether the enemy is involved in a global insurgency. What strikes the author most is the realization that despite being almost five years into a global conflict, those most involved in actual combat and in shaping the military thinking on how best to defeat al-Qaida, are still debating the nature of the enemy.