When will we realize victory in the War on Terror?

I remember GEN Dempsey saying that the WOT will end when the people who believe in the current radical ideologies die out. In like 30 years.

I don't think the "war on terror" or even the fight against Islamic Extremism is fixable militarily. We know enormous amounts about what breed it through decades of working in developing nations. Bombs don't fix the root causes of extremism. They exacerbate them.

So yeah, knocking out terrorist networks is doable and necessary, but the broader strategy has to be economic and social. The only way to end the endless stream of terror recruits is to make other alternatives more appealing.

CH (MAJ) William Beaver With a different approach maybe. As Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS points out, we are fighting an ideology. Frankly I think this battle is better suited to the CIA rather than the military. The only way to change that ideology is through means that likely violate the Geneva Conventions. We would have to deceive the enemy into believing the Mahdi had come and that he issued a fatwa for them to lay down their arms.

That's the problem with catchy names and "branding" military operations. The name creates a false expectation of success. Remember "The war to end all wars?" It didn't really do that. The Korean War never ended. We just have a cease fire. The War on Terror could also be called the War Against Evil. But evil will never be eradicated from the hearts of men until the Second Coming. There are no final victories in human conflict. Each generation does what it can to protect (or disturb) it's own time. How about we leave naming wars to the historians?

The answer to the first question will give the other answers. In my opinion, we will realize victory when we let the Generals and other military people design and implement the tactics and strategy we use. When the politicians shut the hell up and let the military do what the military knows how to do.

The "War on Terror" may have ended already, however the security and defense against terrorism will be ongoing as long as there are enemies upon us.

I think it was originally explalined as being a multi-genarational war. Granted, you do not have a war against an idea but the idea resides in certain places and in certain groups. We chose initiallty that Iraq and Afghanistan were places those ideas rested and went after them there. We have since expanded into places like Syria, Libya, Yemen and others.

Our largest misconception appears to be that the folks in that region actually wanted freedom and liberty. Some do but not enough of them are willing to get after it. They had the best chance in their recent history of attaining it and have done little to secure it.

We have to stay after the groups and nations that harbor them. ISIS is their natural reaction to our strategy. They are creating their own nation state (caliphate) out of the smoldering embers of Syria and Iraq. They seem to have few nations that will willingly harbor thier brand of murder and terror so they have to create one.

This is an asymetric enemy that is morphing and changing their strategems and tactics but their idealogy is the same and rotten to the core. They have to be killed, either there or here when they arrive. I prefer there.

Not as long as Muslims worship death more then they do life.

CH (MAJ) William Beaver, the final cost of this war will be too many lives lost over a war that has been going on since Adam and Eve.

Terrorist do this:
http://mideastweb.org/osamabinladen1.htm
https://www.theatlantic.com/…/2…/08/twenty-years-war/496736/
https://www.theatlantic.com/…/2…/08/twenty-years-war/496736/
…an this…
http://www.september11news.com/
http://www.history.com/topics/9-11-attacks
Congress declares War on Terror/Terrorist, 18 Sept 2001:
https://www.gpo.gov/…/pkg/PLAW-107pu…/pdf/PLAW-107publ40.pdf
ISIS does this:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/…/The-enemy-Nearly-SEVENTY-arres…
http://www.newsweek.com/how-isis-smuggles-terrorists-among-…
http://thehill.com/…/262316-isis-has-targeted-refugee-progr…
http://www.naturalnews.com/052242_refugee_program_ISIS_USA_…
President D.J. Trump does the following to safeguard America:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/…/executive-order-protecting-nat…
https://www.federalregister.gov/…/protecting-the-nation-fro…
The left and the courts react by:
https://www.cbsnews.com/…/hawaii-judge-blocks-trumps-new-t…/
https://www.usatoday.com/…/report-federal-judge-r…/97466178/
http://www.breitbart.com/…/several-states-sue-trump-over-n…/
http://www.breitbart.com/…/several-states-sue-trump-over-n…/
http://nypost.com/…/judges-blocks-trumps-second-immigratio…/
http://www.cnn.com/…/virginia-federal-judge-revi…/index.html
18 U.S.C. 2381:
Whoever, owing allegiance to the United States, levies war against them or adheres to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort within the United States or elsewhere, is guilty of treason and shall suffer death, or shall be imprisoned not less than five years and fined under this title but not less than $10,000; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States.
(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 807; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(2)(J), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2148.)
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/L…
Article III Section 3 clause 1&2:
Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court.
The Congress shall have Power to declare the Punishment of Treason, but no Attainder of Treason shall work Corruption of Blood, or Forfeiture except during the Life of the Person attainted
You decide.