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Is the War on Terror Over?
realclearpolitics.com ^ | April 26, 2007 | Victor Davis Hanson

Posted on 04/25/2007 11:00:38 PM PDT by neverdem

Do we still need to fight a war on terror?

The answer seems to be no for an increasing number in the West who are weary over Afghanistan and Iraq or complacent from the absence of a major attack on the scale of 9/11.

The British Foreign Office has scrapped the phrase "war on terror" as inexact, inflammatory and counterproductive. U.S. Central Command has just dropped the term "long war" to describe the fight against radical Islam.

An influential book making the rounds - "Overblown: How Politicians and the Terrorism Industry Inflate National Security Threats, and Why We Believe Them" - argues that the threat from al-Qaida is vastly exaggerated.

Zbigniew Brzezinski, Jimmy Carter's national security adviser, goes further, assuring us that we are terrorized mostly by the false idea of a war on terror - not the jihadists themselves.

Even onetime neo-conservative Francis Fukuyama, who in 1998 called for the preemptive removal of Saddam Hussein, believes "war" is the "wrong metaphor" for our struggle against the terrorists.

Others point out that motley Islamic terrorists lack the resources of the Nazi Wehrmacht or the Soviet Union.

This thinking may seem understandable given the ineffectiveness of al-Qaida to kill many Americans after 9/11. Or it may also reflect hopes that if we only leave Iraq, radical Islam will wither away. But it is dead wrong for a number of reasons.

First, Islamic terrorists plotting attacks are arrested periodically in both Europe and the United States. Just last week a leaked British report detailed al-Qaida's plans for future "large-scale" operations. We shouldn't be blamed for being alarmist when our alarmism has resulted in our safety at home for the past five years...

(Excerpt) Read more at realclearpolitics.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; Foreign Affairs; Politics/Elections; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: globaljihad; gwot; infowar; islamism; jihad; vdh; victordavishanson; wot
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1 posted on 04/25/2007 11:00:40 PM PDT by neverdem
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To: neverdem
Liberal idiots live in a fantasy world in which they believe if there is a villain - its the West. Why, the Islamofascists are just trying to even the score for centuries of Western pillage, plunder and oppression. They really believe we have no right to fight back.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

2 posted on 04/25/2007 11:06:23 PM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: All
ARTICLE SNIPPET:

"This is a strange war. Our successes in avoiding attack convince some that the real danger has passed. And when we kill jihadists abroad, we are told it is peripheral to the war or only incites more terrorism. But despite the current efforts at denial, the war against Islamic terrorism remains real and deadly. We can't wish it away until Middle Eastern dictatorships reform - or we end their oil stranglehold over the world economy."

3 posted on 04/25/2007 11:08:03 PM PDT by Cindy
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To: All

“Is the War on Terror Over?”

No.

~

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=threatmatrix


4 posted on 04/25/2007 11:09:46 PM PDT by Cindy
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To: Tolik

VDH


5 posted on 04/25/2007 11:09:52 PM PDT by neverdem (May you be in heaven a half hour before the devil knows that you're dead.)
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To: neverdem; MizSterious
Radigans's Raiders should be pinged to this.
6 posted on 04/25/2007 11:10:28 PM PDT by Cannoneer No. 4 (Civilian Irregular Information Defense Group -- Distributed IO and counter-propaganda)
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To: neverdem

^


7 posted on 04/25/2007 11:14:12 PM PDT by rdb3 (There's no place like 127.0.0.1)
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To: neverdem

OK, let’s call it the Western World Jihad Against Terrorists...WWJAT.


8 posted on 04/25/2007 11:17:17 PM PDT by highlander_UW (I don't know what my future holds, but I know Who holds my future)
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To: neverdem

The American public lose interest in a war as long as the enemy isn’t taking over countries in an obvious way. The only reason the Cold War went on for so long was because the Soviets were always taking over new countries every decade.


9 posted on 04/25/2007 11:18:15 PM PDT by Democratshavenobrains
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To: neverdem

Open Letter to Senator Reid on His Declaration of Defeat

http://newsblaze.com/story/20070425213544nnnn.nb/newsblaze/WORLDNEW/story.html


10 posted on 04/25/2007 11:19:17 PM PDT by bnelson44 (http://www.appealforcourage.org)
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To: Cannonette; MizSterious; intenseracer; 2ndDivisionVet; Lurker; roaddog727; Tainan; AliVeritas; ...
I propose that our InfoWarrior Ping List be designated Radigan's Raiders, in honor of our brother in Baghdad.

MizSterious is the keeper of the ping list. You have to Freepmail her to get on it.

11 posted on 04/25/2007 11:19:53 PM PDT by Cannoneer No. 4 (Civilian Irregular Information Defense Group -- Distributed IO and counter-propaganda)
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To: neverdem

INTREP


12 posted on 04/25/2007 11:21:46 PM PDT by LiteKeeper (Beware the secularization of America; the Islamization of Eurabia)
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To: neverdem

13 posted on 04/25/2007 11:22:13 PM PDT by B-Chan (Catholic. Monarchist. Texan. Any questions?)
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To: neverdem

Rosie said they aren’t terrorists, they are mothers and fathers just like us.


14 posted on 04/25/2007 11:24:54 PM PDT by webstersII
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To: Liberty Wins

ping


15 posted on 04/25/2007 11:30:17 PM PDT by Cannoneer No. 4 (Civilian Irregular Information Defense Group -- Distributed IO and counter-propaganda)
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To: neverdem

We need to publicly admit yes, lower our guard, admit its all over with and then lay a trap for the cowardly Islamofascists.


16 posted on 04/25/2007 11:34:37 PM PDT by Eye of Unk
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To: neverdem
Fourth, jihadists have already scored successes in all sorts of ways beyond altering the very nature of air travel. Cartoonists now lampoon everyone and everything - except Muslims. The pope must weigh his words carefully. Otherwise, priests and nuns are attacked abroad. A single false Newsweek story about one flushed Koran led to riot and death.

17 Afghans died in rioting in the city of Jalalabad. I was involved in preparation for rioting at the Entry Control Point at Kandahar Air Field. Newsweek killed those people with their lies. Their successful psychological operation had a kinetic effect in Afghanistan, and on me personally. I haven't forgotten.

17 posted on 04/25/2007 11:48:29 PM PDT by Cannoneer No. 4 (Civilian Irregular Information Defense Group -- Distributed IO and counter-propaganda)
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To: SandRat

We could use you, brother.


18 posted on 04/26/2007 12:09:34 AM PDT by Cannoneer No. 4 (Civilian Irregular Information Defense Group -- Distributed IO and counter-propaganda)
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To: neverdem; Lando Lincoln; quidnunc; .cnI redruM; SJackson; dennisw; monkeyshine; Alouette; ...

...This is a strange war. Our successes in avoiding attack convince some that the real danger has passed. And when we kill jihadists abroad, we are told it is peripheral to the war or only incites more terrorism.

But despite the current efforts at denial, the war against Islamic terrorism remains real and deadly. We can't wish it away until Middle Eastern dictatorships reform - or we end their oil stranglehold over the world economy.

Combined ping to 2 ping lists


Nailed It!

This ping list is not author-specific for articles I'd like to share. Some for the perfect moral clarity, some for provocative thoughts; or simply interesting articles I'd hate to miss myself. (I don't have to agree with the author all 100% to feel the need to share an article.) I will try not to abuse the ping list and not to annoy you too much, but on some days there is more of the good stuff that is worthy of attention. You can see the list of articles I pinged to lately  on  my page.
You are welcome in or out, just freepmail me (and note which PING list you are talking about). Besides this one, I keep 2 separate PING lists for my favorite authors Victor Davis Hanson and Orson Scott Card
 

 

    Victor Davis Hanson Ping ! 

       Let me know if you want in or out.

Links:    FR Index of his articles:  http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=victordavishanson
                His website: http://victorhanson.com/
                NRO archive: http://www.nationalreview.com/hanson/hanson-archive.asp
                Pajamasmedia:
   http://victordavishanson.pajamasmedia.com/  

 

19 posted on 04/26/2007 4:39:28 AM PDT by Tolik
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To: goldstategop
There used to be a saying that Liberals believe America is bad for the world, while Conservatives believe the world is bad for America.

We're at a point where no Leftists and a dwindling number of Conservatives support the WOT (even on FR--especially lately).

My own fervant support for the WOT hasn't changed since 9-11. But for most Americans, the answer is, yes, the war is over. And that's the seed of a great tragedy to come.

20 posted on 04/26/2007 4:59:43 AM PDT by RedRover (Defend Our Marines)
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