John Gallagher

The Long War Against Terrorism: A Military Perspective

Matt Driscoll, John Danu, John Gallagher, Kimberly Field, General Yu, Jennifer, David Solomon

Facilitated by Lt. Cmdr. Matt Driscoll and Travis Dredd, the Milken Institute convened seven military officers, including Brigadier General John Danu and Lieutenant Colonel John Gallagher, for a comprehensive analysis of the Global War on Terrorism's evolving ideological and territorial threats. Panelists identified a critical gap in current strategies regarding the delegitimization of extremist narratives and emphasized that lasting stability requires synchronizing military action with governance and economic development, citing specific case studies from Afghanistan and Syria. Addressing pressing budgetary constraints that consume 65 percent of military funding, the officers warned that failing to balance counterterrorism with emerging geopolitical challenges in Ukraine and the Pacific risks eroding U.S. deterrence capabilities for future generations.