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Flying Blind in the War on Terror
American Thinker ^ | April 30, 2008 | Patrick Poole

Posted on 04/30/2008 4:30:08 AM PDT by moderatewolverine

Imagine that following the bombing of Peal Harbor in December 1941, that FDR had prohibiting the use of the terms "Nazi" or "Japanese Imperialism" due to pressure brought to bear by German and Japanese-American lobbying groups. Or at the height of the Cold War that the US government had determined to ban the use of "Soviet" or "communism" for fear of offending the sensibilities of Russian-Americans or European socialists.

Yet that is precisely what has happened following the revelation last week by the Associated Press that the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security has issued guidelines banning the use of "jihad", "mujahedeen" and other Islamic terminology with reference to Islamic terrorism. This move lays bare the ideological prison house of political correctness in which our top policymaker's reside. The strictures are so ridiculous that even President Bush can't help himself in violating the guidelines.

No one can claim in defense of this move that it has been rooted in years of serious study and assessment of the issue at the highest levels of government. If so, where might these studies and assessments be found? What series of government publications outlines the strategic threat doctrine of our enemy in the War on Terror, similar to that prepared on Soviet doctrine in the early years of the Cold War? What comprehensive doctrinal assessment may our military and political leaders consult to inform themselves on the tactics and strategy of our enemy? Such does not exist, and the adoption of the government's new "lexicon" is an admission that such a strategic threat assessment of our enemy will not be done. This new effort means that in essence we have chosen to fly blind in the Global War on Terror (GWOT).

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


TOPICS: Editorial; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: globaljihad; iraq; islam; jihad; knowthyenemy; pc; politicalcorrectness; politicallycorrect; terror; wot

1 posted on 04/30/2008 4:30:08 AM PDT by moderatewolverine
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To: moderatewolverine

If we refuse to recognize the enemy, the battle is already lost.


2 posted on 04/30/2008 4:46:43 AM PDT by Rocky
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To: Rocky

Ssh! We’re not allowed to use the word ‘enemy’ any more.


3 posted on 04/30/2008 4:59:07 AM PDT by agere_contra
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To: Rocky

“It is said that if you know your enemies and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles; if you do not know your enemies but do know yourself, you will win one and lose one; if you do not know your enemies nor yourself, you will be imperiled in every single battle.”

Sun Tzu, “The Art of War”


4 posted on 04/30/2008 5:06:48 AM PDT by cyberstoic
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To: Rocky

Where is Pogo when you need him?


5 posted on 04/30/2008 5:10:03 AM PDT by txzman (Jer 23:29)
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To: Rocky

We don’t actually need to use the word “islamist” to qualify terrorism.

98% of all terrorism is Islamic inspired so it can be presumed that any act of terrorism is Islamic unless otherwise qualified.


6 posted on 04/30/2008 6:21:14 AM PDT by Wil H
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To: moderatewolverine

If we don’t call terrorists anything related to Islam does that mean we don’t have to treat prisoners with all the accouterments of Islam?


7 posted on 04/30/2008 6:25:41 AM PDT by CPOSharky (Energy plan: Build refineries and nuke plants, drill for our oil, mine our coal.)
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To: Wil H

“Passionate hatred can give meaning and purpose to an empty life. Thus people haunted by the purposelessness of their lives try to find a new content not only by dedicating themselves to a holy cause but also by nursing a fanatical grievance. A mass movement offers them unlimited opportunities for both.” Eric Hoffer

THESE are your enemies.


8 posted on 04/30/2008 6:35:43 AM PDT by SMARTY ('At some point you get tired of swatting flies, and you have to go for the manure heap' Gen. LeMay)
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To: moderatewolverine

The State Dept is the 5th column.


9 posted on 04/30/2008 8:08:04 AM PDT by festus (Fred Thompson '08)
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To: All
WASHINGTON TIMES.com: "D.C. ANTI-GANG EFFORT: CALL THEM CREWS INSTEAD" by David C. Lipscomb (April 30, 2008)



HUMAN EVENTS.com: "NO JIHADIS HERE!" by Robert Spencer (April 29, 2008)

INVESTIGATIVE PROJECT.org: "DANGEROUS WORD GAMES" by Steven Emerson (April 25, 2008)

COUNTERTERRORISM BLOG.org: "WHO IS AMERICA FIGHTING -- JIHADISTS OR EXTREMISTS?" by Jeffrey Imm (April 24, 2008)

JIHAD WATCH.org (AP): "'JIHADIST' BOOTED FROM GOVERNMENT LEXICON" (April 24, 2008)

JIHAD WATCH.org: "NEW STATE DEPARTMENT LEXICON FORBIDS USE OF THE WORDS 'JIHAD' OR JIHADIST'" (April 22, 2008)

Link

Link

10 posted on 04/30/2008 1:08:37 PM PDT by Cindy
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To: All; SMARTY

.

A recent TIME Magazine column memorializing Actor CHARLETON HESTON stated that his sterling performance in “EL CID” was on a Motion Picture par with “LAWRENCE of ARABIA”

Both hargingers of the future.

But “EL CID” acurately defined for us this War of our Time with the same of 1,000 years ago..!!!

The new “EL CID” Special Edition DVD is now available on http://www.Amazon.com

A true Must See.

.


11 posted on 04/30/2008 1:11:20 PM PDT by ALOHA RONNIE ("ALOHA RONNIE" Guyer/Veteran-"WE WERE SOLDIERS" Battle of IA DRANG-1965 http://www.lzxray.com)
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To: moderatewolverine
BTTT!

When you find good analysis and commentary like this from American Thinker, National Review, Commentary, etc., please remember to check editorial when you satisfy the "Topics" section prior to posting.

12 posted on 04/30/2008 1:18:28 PM PDT by neverdem (I'm praying for a Divine Intervention.)
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To: cyberstoic
"He whose ranks are united in purpose will be victorious." - Sun Tzu, The Art of War. c.400-320 b.c.

Sun Tzu - The Art of War.

13 posted on 04/30/2008 3:48:41 PM PDT by PsyOp (Truth in itself is rarely sufficient to make men act. - Clauswitz, On War, 1832.)
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To: moderatewolverine
Until now, we have had glimpses of the ideological insanity of "political correctness" as a definable current in the policy directions, or misdirections, of the State Dept. regarding the global WOT. The idiotic Plame-Wilson affair, the internal undermining of intelligence, the leaks to the NYT, Rockefeller's, Durbin's and others near treasonous actions, all seemed somehow linked... yet scattered, as if presumptively coincidental. How can such a thing be be possible? Subversion by Islamic radicals within our government via acts of treason, leading to the fall of the US as a World Power?

God save us all from the looneys... but the last thing we need is ANOTHER web of conspiracy theories. Yet... I just find that the signs of intentional political sabotage in the effort to make coherent policy to fight the WOT are certainly more than coincidence, and those signs appear ever more broadly coordinated, and bureaucratic. Do we have Saudi and/or Islamist sympathizers so integrated into our governmental organs that no whistle blower can be expected to perceive them, much less expose them?

We need the leadership of an individual with the strength of character and understanding of the threat of Jihadism that only John Bolton have exhibited. I have serious doubts about McCain in this area, and to even consider what will happen with a Clinton or Obama administration is to delve into the real meaning of "National Suicide", much as Israel is doing now. May God inspire John McCain to appoint and insist on John Bolton for his Secretary of State.

14 posted on 04/30/2008 10:12:29 PM PDT by Richard Axtell (This is my tagline.)
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