The January 2026 extraction of former Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro and his transfer to U.S. custody showed the West how to confront Islamist terrorist organizations in the 21st century.

The United States, Israel, and their allies must stop relying on bombing campaigns that level cities, generate propaganda for the enemy, and erode Western political support. They must instead seize and prosecute senior terrorist leaders. This approach creates psychological crises inside these groups, breaks command chains, and produces the internal fractures that lead to demilitarization and territorial concessions.