About this:

Those who see a clash of civilizations between the West and Islam, want the United States to become more aggressive against radical Islam — which they define broadly — and generally want to upend the world order. (Steve Bannon, Stephen Miller).

Those who want the United States to continue it’s role as leader of the free world, maintaining the American-led international system. (Mattis, Tillerson, Pompeo, Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly).

The fact is that both are correct, and the former is ignored at some peril. The problem with Flynn was not that we was incorrect in his assessment, but he decided to accept a certain narrative about how to address the former that is confontative rather than accommodating.

The dilemma for the US is that if it continues to “maintain the American led international system”, it by definition exacerbates the conflict between not just muslims, but Russia and China as well.