Counterterrorism operations today often entail attempts to remove territorial “safe havens” for Islamic extremism. This is seen in fights against the Islamic State in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and most recently, the Philippines. These fights are often government-led sieges of cities, like Raqqa, Mosul, and Marawi, where Islamic State has taken control, or at least has a strong presence. But by using extensive military force to deny safe havens that tend to concentrate Islamic extremists, we may be spreading extremism diffusely across our vulnerable societies. Most of these people are Muslims, who could spread across the entire island of Mindanao, the Philippines second-biggest island.

Source: Forbes June 11, 2017 14:48 UTC