Terrorized
Zbigniew Brzezinski has an excellent op-ed in the Washington Post detailing the problems with the "war on terror" phrase and how it may have in fact hindered our ability to affectively combat terrorism. Here's the lede:
Be sure to read the rest. Brzezinski goes on to discuss how the usage of such vague language may have been deliberate, so as to place the US in constant state of perpetual fear to be exploited by the Bush administration and which has only been reinforced by our hysterical need for "security". But one could argue that this one phrase has actually done more harm to our efforts in this area. For it has been used not only to justify a war of aggression and occupation that has increased the threat of future acts of terrorism but also a litany of other offenses that tarnish the image of America around the world, from torture and indefinite detention to all but the complete abrogation of the rule of law.
The War on Terror has indeed done it's job.
(Filed at State of the Day)
The "war on terror" has created a culture of fear in America. The Bush administration's elevation of these three words into a national mantra since the horrific events of 9/11 has had a pernicious impact on American democracy, on America's psyche and on U.S. standing in the world. Using this phrase has actually undermined our ability to effectively confront the real challenges we face from fanatics who may use terrorism against us.
Be sure to read the rest. Brzezinski goes on to discuss how the usage of such vague language may have been deliberate, so as to place the US in constant state of perpetual fear to be exploited by the Bush administration and which has only been reinforced by our hysterical need for "security". But one could argue that this one phrase has actually done more harm to our efforts in this area. For it has been used not only to justify a war of aggression and occupation that has increased the threat of future acts of terrorism but also a litany of other offenses that tarnish the image of America around the world, from torture and indefinite detention to all but the complete abrogation of the rule of law.
The War on Terror has indeed done it's job.
(Filed at State of the Day)
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