Yesterday, two individuals dawned uniforms and attacked a gathering of government employees. They then drove two miles away and, while still uniformed, died in a gunfight with police. If undertaking for a domestic agenda, this would clearly be an act of terrorism. Early reports seem to indicate that the two suspects may have ties to Middle Eastern groupss, most likely Daesh (though this could be wrong or unfounded). The United States is currently involved in a bombing campaign against Daesh, which claims to be a legitimate sovereign.
These attacks served two military objectives. First, furthering Daesh’s desire to provoke a response by ground forces. Doing so would allow Deash go mount guerilla attacks against United States forces. While Deash has little hope of victory against an American air campaign, drawing ground forces into a costly conflict proves the hopes of an eventual peace treaty securing at least some of Deash’s goals. The United States might not be willing to settle for anything but complete defeat of Daesh when this object seems accomplishable by airstrikes, thousands of dead American troops changes that equation a bit.
Secondly, the attacks serve to destabilize the politics of the Western allies opposed to Daesh. Can you think of anything more destabilizing to our current political process than a mass shooting in the name of Daesh carried out by a middle eastern immigrant and an American Muslim using assault weapons purchased at a gun show? Daesh has a valid military reason to engage in attacks that will foreclose avenues of escape to the West. This secures the presence of conscripts for the organization and depriving the Western allies of Arabic speaking moderates with tribal and other social ties that could be of use in opposition to Daesh. Further, victory for certain elements of the American political scene offers the possibility that the country will spend untold amount of treasure to deport over 11 million individuals. What Daesh could never hope to accomplish on its own, causing millions of residents to leave the United States, it may provoke the United States government into doing for it. Our enemy, unlike some of our hopeful leaders, does not appear to be stupid. They will use the public’s worst instincts against it.
Further, the attacks allow for a propaganda victory. Daesh utilized combatants who procured as much of a uniform as its forces are likely to support. After the attack, they did not attempt to blend in with the civilian population. Their targets were government workers (health department) engaged in activities related to the economy. By condemning these attacks as terrorism, the United States plays into the argument that if views any challenge to its interests (conflated with Western Imperialism) as illegal, even when taken in an overtly military form.
While all the details of the attacks are not yet known, if ordered by Daesh, I would suggest the best response involves calmly bombing the hell out of them, while seeking to minimize civilian casualties.