Posted on 04/16/2007 11:00:45 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
LONDON - The British government has stopped using the phrase "war on terror" to refer to the struggle against political and religious violence, according to a Cabinet minister's prepared remarks for a Monday speech.
International Development Secretary Hilary Benn, a rising star of the governing Labour Party, says in a speech prepared for delivery in New York that the expression popularized by President Bush after the Sept. 11 attacks strengthens terrorists by making them feel part of a bigger struggle.
Extracts from Benn's speech at New York University's Center on International Cooperation were released by his office.
"We do not use the phrase 'war on terror' because we can't win by military means alone, and because this isn't us against one organized enemy with a clear identity and a coherent set of objectives," Benn said.
"It is the vast majority of the people in the world — of all nationalities and faiths — against a small number of loose, shifting and disparate groups who have relatively little in common apart from their identification with others who share their distorted view of the world and their idea of being part of something bigger."
Prime Minister Tony Blair's official spokesman said he was unsure when Blair had last used the phrase.
"We all use our own phraseology, and we talk about terrorism, we talk about the fight against terrorism, but we also talk about trying to find political solutions to political problems," he said on condition of anonymity, in line with government policy.
According to the advance text, Benn urged Americans to use the "soft power" of values and ideas as well as military strength to defeat extremism.
Benn's comments were at least partly directed at his own Labour Party, which is uneasy about Blair's close alliance with Bush and overwhelmingly opposed to Britain's participation in the Iraq war.
Benn currently is the bookies' favorite to become Labour's deputy leader in a party election once Blair steps down as premier later this year.
Use “soft power” to defeat extremists.. ? :-\
Say what????????
Benn's comments were at least partly directed at his own Labour Party, which is uneasy about Blair's close alliance with Bush and overwhelmingly opposed to Britain's participation in the Iraq war.
BARF@@@!
If you are unwilling to name your enemy, you cannot win.
What did you expect from a bunch of pussy`s
A war on terror would involve a war against any terror group like the tamil tigers of Sri Lanka , but we are not at war with the tamil tigers.
Its actually a war on Al-Qaida and its affiliates and not a war on all terrorists
War on Isloamofascists is much more appropriate.
Too bad that so few are willing to call the enemy by name. It’s hard to see how we’ll win if we don’t even have the courage to name our enemy, formally declare war on them, and crush their will.
“Benn urged Americans to use the “soft power” of values and ideas as well as military strength to defeat extremism.”
Those radical fundamentalist Islamic terrorists will be quaking in their boots when they know that we are coming after them with “soft power”!
I recently read a great book entitled “The Few” about the battle of Britain. Whatever happened to that Britain?
‘Whatever happened to that Britain?’
My countrymen elected Labour. I believe yours have recently elected the democrats. :(
On the upside, ours will be gone soon! :)
Must you remind us! ;-)
The Minister of Magic says in a speech prepared for delivery in London that speaking the name of Lord Voldemort after his rise to power strengthens the Death Eaters by making them feel part of a bigger struggle.... According to the advance text, MoM urged wizards and witches to use the “soft power” of values and ideas as well as military strength to defeat extremism. “From now on, we’ll just be calling him ‘He-Who-Shall-Not-be-Named’. That will help loads.”
‘Must you remind us! ;-)’
Sorry.
And we’ll elect tories that want to distance themselves from Bush?
Benn doesn;t speak for the government, downing street has ditanced itself from this crazy left wing nut.
We all know the family line this man comes from and who his father is.
excellent post mate. spot on.
Soft power = Surrender to men on rubber rafts.
Looks like the UK is out of the military business.
No matter, we have more reliable allies anyway.
Like who? Not even the Aussies have done as much in the WOT as the UK. We’re the only Western ally of the US to have paid the blood price
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