The Global War on Terror is over

[newnameman]

The End of the Global War on Terror
Updated 4:58 p.m. 3/24/09
By Al Kamen
The end of the Global War on Terror -- or at least the use of that phrase -- has been codified at the Pentagon. Reports that the phrase was being retired have been circulating for some time amongst senior administration officials, and this morning speechwriters and other staff were notified via this e-mail to use "Overseas Contingency Operation" instead.

"Recently, in a LtGen [John] Bergman, USMC, statement for the 25 March [congressional] hearing, OMB required that the following change be made before going to the Hill," Dave Riedel, of the Office of Security Review, wrote in an e-mail.

"OMB says: 'This Administration prefers to avoid using the term "Long War" or "Global War on Terror" [GWOT]. Please use "Overseas Contingency Operation.'"

Riedel asked recipients to "Please pass on to your speech writers and try to catch this change before the statements make it to OMB."

An OMB spokesman took issue with the interpretation of OMB's wishes. "There was no memo, no guidance," said Kenneth Baer. "This is the opinion of a career civil servant."

Referring to the phrase "global war on terror," Baer said, "I have no reason to believe that would be stricken" from Hill testimony.

By way of history, senior Bush administration officials several years ago wanted to stop using the phrase and switch to something many felt might better reflect the realities of the fight against international terrorism.

One leading option was to change the name to GSAVE, or Global Struggle Against Violent Extremism. This was not as catchy an acronym as GWOT, but officials felt it more accurately described the battle.Then-Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld even used the GSAVE abbreviation publicly.

But, in a White House meeting, President Bush ruled that it was still a war for him, and Rumsfeld and everyone else went back to GWOT.

http://voices.washingtonpost.c...tml?hpid=news-col-blog

Thank you Obama for ridding the world of terrorists. They obviously could not resist your message of hope and change. :thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[badkarma1399]

Mission Accomplished!

 

[dwell]

"Overseas Contingency Operation"? Really Obanga? Really? Will 9/11 be renamed "Homeland Man Made Disaster Operation"?

 

[jpeyton]

"Global War On Terror" was the dumbest name our country could possibly come up with for a half-assed war in Afghanistan and an illegal war in Iraq.

The old name was too vague, too open-ended, and too much like something you would hear at a televangelist event...which is why Bush picked it.

 

[Genx87]

Dont forget terrorist attacks are now just "man made disasters".

 

[RightIsWrong]

I'm guessing that everyone that claimed that they weren't partisan hacks can now reveal themselves as liars and/or hypocrites as well.

They stopped using a slogan?! Oh my, they must be trying to imply that we are all safe and sound and that there isn't anything to worry about ever again.

What morons. You don't even realize that you are being manipulated by politicians of all stripes using catchy phrases and slogans to trick you into buying into their bullshit. If someone tries to act like you have some semblance of intelligence and not put things in a nice, little Madison Ave marketing campaign wrapper, you think that you are being tricked. How ironic.

 

[dwell]

Originally posted by: jpeyton
The old name was too vague, too open-ended, and too much like something you would hear at a televangelist event...which is why Bush picked it.

And "Overseas Contingency Operation" is neither vague or open-ended? lulz.

Only difference is your televangelist event turns into to some shitty civil rights attorney's office.

 

[rudder]

Originally posted by: Genx87
Dont forget terrorist attacks are now just "man made disasters".

The secretary of Homeland Security called them "man caused disasters." Which is a lot better sounding.

 

[dwell]

Originally posted by: rudder
The secretary of Homeland Security called them "man caused disasters." Which is a lot better sounding.

When will Obama be instituting a Department of Euphemisms to handle the backlog of less-offensive renames for all this stuff?

9/11 was a "man caused disaster"? Bullshit. It was terrorism, plain and simple. All the attacks that have been perpetrated by Islamic extremists over the past, uh... forever, are acts of terror. Terrorism. Plain and simple.

 

[Jack Flash]

"By way of history, senior Bush administration officials several years ago wanted to stop using the phrase and switch to something many felt might better reflect the realities of the fight against international terrorism."

 

[Descartes]

This means nothing in terms of actual results, but that should be obvious; however, a simple name change can often be the catalyst for reforming sentiment. People perceive the "War on Terror" in a negative light, and the name itself induces fear, etc.

Obama is, if nothing else, an outstanding marketeer. He's a salesman, but why this should come as a surprise to anyone is beyond me. He has to market his "products" to us. The previous administration catered to emotions in its presentation to the people. I think people should acknowledge this, acknowledge the role of a president in the time of crisis, and stop nit-picking on this nonsense. There are more productive conversations to be had.

 

[Genx87]

Originally posted by: Jack Flash
"By way of history, senior Bush administration officials several years ago wanted to stop using the phrase and switch to something many felt might better reflect the realities of the fight against international terrorism."

Yeah nothing says fighting terrorism overseas like "Overseas Contingency Operation".

 

[Jack Flash]

Originally posted by: Genx87

Originally posted by: Jack Flash
"By way of history, senior Bush administration officials several years ago wanted to stop using the phrase and switch to something many felt might better reflect the realities of the fight against international terrorism."

Yeah nothing says fighting terrorism overseas like "Overseas Contingency Operation".

contingency |k?n'tinj?nse|
noun ( pl. -cies)
a future event or circumstance that is possible but cannot be predicted with certainty : a detailed contract that attempts to provide for all possible contingencies.
? a provision for such an events or circumstance : a contingency reserve.
? an incidental expense : allow an extra fifteen percent in the budget for contingencies.
? the absence of certainty in events : the island's public affairs can be invaded by contingency.
? Philosophy the absence of necessity; the fact of being so without having to be so.

 

[Genx87]

Originally posted by: Jack Flash

Originally posted by: Genx87

Originally posted by: Jack Flash
"By way of history, senior Bush administration officials several years ago wanted to stop using the phrase and switch to something many felt might better reflect the realities of the fight against international terrorism."

Yeah nothing says fighting terrorism overseas like "Overseas Contingency Operation".

contingency |k?n'tinj?nse|
noun ( pl. -cies)
a future event or circumstance that is possible but cannot be predicted with certainty : a detailed contract that attempts to provide for all possible contingencies.
? a provision for such an events or circumstance : a contingency reserve.
? an incidental expense : allow an extra fifteen percent in the budget for contingencies.
? the absence of certainty in events : the island's public affairs can be invaded by contingency.
? Philosophy the absence of necessity; the fact of being so without having to be so.

Heh contingency is a broad definition which has been part of my point on these name changes. It is a watering down of the description. When people see the above does engaging in terrorism come to mind??????? How about man caused disaster?

 

[lokiju]

So this is kind of like calling welfare "stimulus" right?

 

[classy]

Maybe some of you knuckleheads didn't get the memo. There never was f'in global war on terror. We went into Iraq for absolutely nothing, mostly alone to the tune of 98%. We fight in Afghanistan because that is the only place where we know some terrorist are. Outside of Isarel and to a much lesser degree England, no other country has done a blessed thing in this "global war" on terrorism. The only thing global is the dumb@ss republicans who keep spouting this crock quote. Global? Yea right :roll:. Thank God someone with some sense realizes its a bs line.

 

[Genx87]

Originally posted by: classy


Maybe some of you knuckleheads didn't get the memo. There never was f'in global war on terror. We went into Iraq for absolutely nothing, mostly alone to the tune of 98%. We fight in Afghanistan because that is the only place where we know some terrorist are. Outside of Isarel and to a much lesser degree England, no other country has done a blessed thing in this "global war" on terrorism. The only thing global is the dumb@ss republicans who keep spouting this crock quote. Global? Yea right :roll:. Thank God someone with some sense realizes its a bs line.

You do realize there were multi-national forces in Iraq and still are in Afghanistan? Also the Global WoT consisted more than military might. It consisted of rooting out these groups in other countries and closing off their supply of money by working with countries around the "globe".

As much as the Global WoT sounded like a cheap advertisement. It sure as hell described what the Bush administration was trying to accomplish better than "Overseas Contingency Plan"

 

[Moonbeam]

Oh no, I used to love to thump my dick while I chanted "Global War or Terrorism Global War or Terrorism Global War or Terrorism. Now what am I going to do?

That stupid Obama, I'm going to tell my Mommy on him.

 

[halik]

Originally posted by: jpeyton
"Global War On Terror" was the dumbest name our country could possibly come up with for a half-assed war in Afghanistan and an illegal war in Iraq.

The old name was too vague, too open-ended, and too much like something you would hear at a televangelist event...which is why Bush picked it.

This. Nothing like coming up with a good-vs-evil sales pitch to justify conflicts built on legally-shaky ground.

Epecially in light of the evidence that they had their legal department explore exactly how far would calling this debacle "war on terror" get them as far as exec. powers go.

 

[aphex]

As others have noted, its a freaking NAME. Who the hell cares what its called?

 

[shiner]

Originally posted by: aphex
As others have noted, its a freaking NAME. Who the hell cares what its called?

Exactly....so why change it?

 

[eleison]

Originally posted by: shinerburke

Originally posted by: aphex
As others have noted, its a freaking NAME. Who the hell cares what its called?

Exactly....so why change it?

Don't be a fool shinerbock, he promised change.. this is one of his changes.. now drink the koolaid before Obama gets one of his minions to hit you over your head with his telepromter!!! You can do it.. Yes we can.. ;-P

 

[rudder]

Originally posted by: classy


Maybe some of you knuckleheads didn't get the memo. There never was f'in global war on terror. We went into Iraq for absolutely nothing, mostly alone to the tune of 98%. We fight in Afghanistan because that is the only place where we know some terrorist are. Outside of Isarel and to a much lesser degree England, no other country has done a blessed thing in this "global war" on terrorism. The only thing global is the dumb@ss republicans who keep spouting this crock quote. Global? Yea right :roll:. Thank God someone with some sense realizes its a bs line.

Indonesia, Philippines, England, Kenya, Algeria, India, Lebanon, Turkey... etc. etc.

Now lets expand your mind a little and not just think of a global war on terror as straight out military actions. There is a lot of work going on behind the scenes with a large number of intelligence services. Ever heard of the cold war? Maybe it would have ended decades earlier if we had called it the chilled contigency operation.

So to clear up your confusion it is a global "war."

 

[classy]

Originally posted by: rudder

Originally posted by: classy


Maybe some of you knuckleheads didn't get the memo. There never was f'in global war on terror. We went into Iraq for absolutely nothing, mostly alone to the tune of 98%. We fight in Afghanistan because that is the only place where we know some terrorist are. Outside of Isarel and to a much lesser degree England, no other country has done a blessed thing in this "global war" on terrorism. The only thing global is the dumb@ss republicans who keep spouting this crock quote. Global? Yea right :roll:. Thank God someone with some sense realizes its a bs line.

Indonesia, Philippines, England, Kenya, Algeria, India, Lebanon, Turkey... etc. etc.

Now lets expand your mind a little and not just think of a global war on terror as straight out military actions. There is a lot of work going on behind the scenes with a large number of intelligence services. Ever heard of the cold war? Maybe it would have ended decades earlier if we had called it the chilled contigency operation.

So to clear up your confusion it is a global "war."

I highlighted the portion of my post you just glossed over. When one country makes up over 90% of the effort whether it be military or otherwise, its absolutely absurb to call it a "global" whatever. What behind the scenes work? These countries have very little if any tangible investment in the Global War on terror. Thats a fact. Plain and simple. Clearly the repubs need a new talking point, so they pulled another one from the same place all the rest of them have come from, their rumps. Changing the language is no big deal. I mean it went from WMDs to Iraqi freedom language. By the way how did that WMD search work out for us? If we had a global effort, I think we would have found Bin Laden by now. What's he like, 8 feet tall? Global this...................

 

[Spicedaddy]

Global War On Terror is kinda like the World Series of Baseball... It has that worldwide feeling, but it's really just for the US.