Returning to the failed lawfare policies of the past

Guardian:

The US is heading for a "tipping point" beyond which it should no longer pursue al-Qaida terrorists by military means, one of the Obama administration's most senior lawyers has said.

Jeh Johnson suggested the group would become so degraded that a time would come when the legal authority given to the White House by Congress should no longer be used to justify waging the war that has been fought since 2001.

Johnson said that when this happened, America had to "be able to say ... that our efforts should no longer be considered an armed conflict against al-Qaida and its affiliates".

Instead, the responsibility for tackling al-Qaida should pass to the police and other law enforcement agencies.

Johnson has been general counsel at the US defence department for the past four years and has given advice on every military operation that needs the approval of the president or defence secretary.

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I disagree.  The size of their force is not the relevant factor.  The most important  point is are they still at war with the US.  As long as they are, the lawfare approach will do nothing to deter them and al Qaeda will still be pushing mass murder for Allah attacks.  Reverting to lawfare will just make that task easier for them.

Lawfare is how we tried to deal with the enemy during the Clinton administration.

It should also be noted that the size of the force al Qaeda used for 9-11 was not large either.