Yet as the comparison with the Soviet experience should remind us, the war against terrorism has not yet been much of a war at all, let alone a war to end all wars. It is a messy, difficult, long-term struggle against exceptionally dangerous criminals who actually like nothing better than being put on the same level of historical importance as Hitler — can you imagine a better recruiting tool? To fight them effectively, we need coolness, resolve and stamina. But we also need to overcome long habit and remind ourselves that not every enemy is in fact a threat to our existence.
... seems like the sane version of what I think he was trying to say. He would still be wrong, because global caliphate would absolutely threaten our existence, but he wouldn't sound like the worst mix of Ward Churchill and Neville Chamberlain.
Okay...tell me what is the practical application of: "To fight them effectively, we need coolness, resolve and stamina."