Is the War on Terrorism Really Winnable?

Can ISIS and other organized terror groups be defeated in the Islamic Middle East? How can we make sense of the Arab Spring’s disappointing aftermath? And is American “democracy promotion” a genuinely useful tool in a region still struggling to reconcile Islam and modern nation-state politics?

Three noted experts offered their perspectives: Hudson Institute’s Michael Doran, former senior director at the White House National Security Council; The Brookings Institution’s Shadi Hamid, author of a must-read new book on Islamic Exceptionalism; and terrorism specialist Jessica Stern, also an NSC veteran and prolific, award-winning author. Foreign Affairs editor Gideon Rose, an expert in his own right, served as moderator.

Co-presented with the 92Y.