Indeed, if we do not adjust our thinking, we risk exposing ourselves to the greatest danger posed by ISIS today—that it could goad the United States into a military reaction that diminishes America’s ability to counter Islamic extremism and other strategic challenges over the long term. Stumbling astrategically into another Middle East quagmire would absorb precious military bandwidth at a time when strategic agility is essential for managing not just challenges in the Middle East but more profound threats to U.S. security interests in Europe and East Asia. The onus is thus on America’s leaders to see the threat posed by ISIS for what it is—part of the new normal—and lead us forward from a place of resilient determination.

Alex Velez-Green is a Research Associate with the Center for a New American Security.

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