Two decades after the invasion of Iraq, U.S. soldiers continue to face enemy fire, not just in the streets of Baghdad or the deserts of Anbar, but across multiple continents in a conflict that has faded from public view but remains as deadly as ever. Just this weekend, five U.S. Army Rangers were injured combatting ISIS in Iraq.
The Global War on Terror (GWOT) is not over. It rages on, fought by American forces on multiple fronts, from the streets of Iraq to the savannas of Africa and beyond. Terrorism, far from being defeated, has proven to be a resilient and adaptive foe, one that continues to threaten not just American interests abroad but the safety of civilians worldwide.
In Iraq alone, approximately 2,500 U.S. troops continue to serve. Recent events underscore the persistent nature of this threat. On August 29, 2024, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) reported a joint raid with Iraqi Security Forces in western Iraq, resulting in American casualties. This wasn't a mopping-up operation; it was a full-scale combat mission against ISIS operatives who remain active and dangerous.
The dangers our troops face are multifaceted and relentless. In Iraq, Iranian-backed militias, themselves purveyors of terror, launch missile attacks on U.S. bases. In Africa, our forces confront ambushes and improvised explosive devices. Across the Middle East, terrorist groups continue to plot attacks against American interests and our allies.
This is the reality of the ongoing Global War on Terror – a conflict fought not on clearly defined battlefields but in shadowy corners of the world where extremist ideologies continue to find ground. The enemy we face today is not a conventional military force but an ideology that spreads like a virus, adapting to new environments and exploiting local grievances.
The silence from our media on these ongoing operations is deafening. When was the last time you saw a front-page story about a special operations mission in Somalia or a firefight with ISIS remnants in Syria? The lack of coverage doesn't mean the threat has diminished; it means we've grown complacent, lulled into a false sense of security while our troops continue to stand on the front lines.
We owe it to these soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines to acknowledge the reality of their service and the persistent threat they combat. They're not serving in "post-war" zones; they're serving in active war zones where the enemy is very real and ever-present. The rockets that rain down on their bases in Iraq, the combat they face in African jungles, and the ISIS fighters they engage in Syria are not relics of a past conflict – they are manifestations of a threat that continues to evolve and endure.
As a nation, we must shake off the dangerous notion that terrorism is a problem of the past. We need to demand honest reporting on the ongoing terrorist threat and the operations our troops undertake to combat it. We must insist on clear, long-term strategies from our political leaders.
The Global War on Terror continues, not because we choose to fight it, but because the threat of terrorism remains real and undiminished. It's time to recognize that this is not a war that will be won in a conventional sense but a long-term struggle that requires vigilance, commitment, and the continued bravery of our armed forces.
Our service members deserve nothing less than our full attention and unwavering support as they continue to combat a threat that many have forgotten but which remains all too real. Let us not wait for another major attack to remember that terrorism is not history – it's an enduring threat that demands our continued resolve and action. Twenty years on, our troops are still under fire, still standing guard against the forces of terror that threaten our way of life.