For the Record': How U.S. Leaders Fail to Understand, 'It's About the Ideology'

The Obama administration has repeatedly said that "core Al Qaeda" is "on the run" or has been "decimated." But counterterrorism experts, including the former head of the Defense Intelligence Agency, say those statements ignore the fundamental nature of the threat.

They say that simply killing terror leaders such as Osama bin Laden will never solve the problem.

"It’s about the ideology, and that ideology is what fuels all these organizations, and the ideology is a Salafi jihadi ideology," said Brian Fairchild, a former case officer for the CIA. "So, that kind of goes against the grain when you’re saying core Al Qaeda’s decimated."

Gen. Michael Flynn, who ran the Defense Intelligence Agency from 2012 to 2014, told TheBlaze TV's For the Record that failing to grasp what drives this movement has serious consequences.

"Some of strategies, some of the how we are executing this, this campaign against this ideology, is not working," Flynn said.

An all-new For the Record explores some of the themes found in Glenn Beck's new book, "It Is About Islam," and will explain the role of Islamism in the ongoing turmoil in the Middle East and the refugee crisis in Europe.

It also explores the so-called "Al Qaeda 20-year plan," which started with the 9/11 attacks and is seemingly playing out right on schedule in today's headlines.

For the Record airs Wednesday, Sept. 30 at 8:30 p.m. ET on TheBlaze TV.