“How we talk about this group of militants is central to defeating them.”

Source: Words matter in ‘ISIS’ war, so use ‘Daesh’ – The Boston Globe

I note that Secretary Kerry now uses this term rather than ISIS or ISIL.

Like “war on ISIL” or “destroy ISIS”, I think there is merit in this new usage.  My reason is that I don’t believe that we can grasp the threat, or a strategy to counter it, if we do not recognize that, despite its contention about itself, this is not a “nation-state” and our traditional thoughts of “war” are deeply linked to that conception of “war.”

Sympathetic as I am to the President of France at this time, what has happened is not profitably viewed as an “declaration of war.”  It is something more insidious and more capable of growing from its malignant center.

We must think of it as something different and develop understanding and strategies anew.