General Stanley McChrystal asserts that a counterinsurgency strategy in Afghanistan is the best way to carry out Barack Obama’s vision. There is a debate in the White House and around the world about US national security tied to counterinsurgency and counter-terrorism. This debate has unfortunately conflated both as if the only way to eradicate terrorism is to carry out counterinsurgency. This is wrong and counter-productive.

Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda attacked America in 2001. If Mr Obama’s goal is to defeat them, he must alter his strategy and the debate over a troop surge in Afghanistan.