We do need to better understand the Muslim world to win the IO battle. It's less about understanding the enemy than understanding the complex culture that produces the enemy.

We don't need to turn Soldiers into Fouad Ajami, but we need an Officer & NCO Corps committed to learning Arab culture/history & Islam just as well as they learned Air-Land Battle. Lots of our Soldiers are, but it still needs more focus. Soldiers interested in pursuing Middle Eastern Study degrees should get exponentially greater tuition assistance incentives, etc.

There are no guarantees that we will ever gain 'understanding', but we will be better equipped to.