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This article answers three questions: What is the nature of the LongWar? How is progress (or lack thereof) to be assessed? Where is it likely to gonext? An appreciation of Clausewitz shows that practical centers of gravity existfor the Long War, and that the conflict pivots upon the ability to persuasivelylink ideology to events via a strategic narrative. A close examination of anillustrative case study, the interaction between the US and the late Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in Iraq 2004-2006, shows that Al Qaeda has suffered a severe setback,but also that the nature of the war is set to shift yet again. Further tangibleprogress for the US requires waging the Long War as a global counterinsurgencybased on a strategy of 'selective identification' (versus pure 'disaggregation') aswell as an understanding of how to more effectively craft a strategic narrative ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]