Jeff Eggers is a retired Navy SEAL Officer and a former special assistant to the president for national security affairs. He’s also one of the smartest people I know, especially when it comes to understanding the underlying goals of terrorism. In this short piece, he explains how many of our instinctual reactions actually help terrorists achieve their goals, and can turn a “tactical tragedy into a strategic threat.” Be sure to read: How the Terrorists Lose: “The most important step is to deny them the political change they seek. In this context of the Islamic State group, it means rejecting their narrative of a pending clash of civilizations. It can be counterintuitive, particularly in the emotional wake of tragedy, but the most effective antidote to jihadist terrorism is to police them as criminals, assimilate minorities and get back to business.”

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+ Reveal: How two-hour airport lines can be a security threat.

+ “We are systematically eliminating ISIL’s cabinet.” A senior Islamic State commander was killed in a recent airstrike. Lost in some of the recent news is the fact that ISIS has been losing ground and members of its leadership.