War on terror: Difference between revisions

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The '''"war on terror"''', or alternately, the '''"global war on terror"''', is a phrase used by [[United States President]] [[George W. Bush]], and his supporters.<ref name=WhiteHouse20010920>
The '''war on terror''', or alternately, the '''global war on terror''', is a phrase used by [[United States President]] [[George W. Bush]], and is a phrase frequently used by officials of his Administration.<ref name=WhiteHouse20010920>
{{cite news
{{cite news
| url=http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/09/20010920-8.html
| url=http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/09/20010920-8.html
| title=Address to a Joint Session of Congress and the American People
| title=Address to a Joint Session of Congress and the American People
| publisher=[[The White House]]
| publisher=[[White House]]
| author=[[George W. Bush]]
| author=[[George W. Bush]]
| date=2001-09-20
| date=2001-09-20
| accessdate=2008-06-26
| accessdate=2008-06-26
| quote=Our war on terror begins with al Qaeda, but it does not end there.  It will not end until every terrorist group of global reach has been found, stopped and defeated.
}}</ref><ref name=WhiteHouse20011207>
}}</ref><ref name=WhiteHouse20011207>
{{cite news
{{cite news
| url=http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/12/100dayreport.html
| url=http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/12/100dayreport.html
| title=The Global War on Terrorism: The First 100 Days  
| title=The Global War on Terrorism: The First 100 Days  
| publisher=[[The White House]]
| publisher=[[White House]]
| author=[[George W. Bush]]
| author=[[George W. Bush]]
| date=December 2001
| date=December 2001
| accessdate=2008-06-26
| accessdate=2008-06-26  
| quote=The President fired the first shot in the war on terrorism with the stroke of his pen to seize terrorist financial assets and disrupt their fundraising pipelines. The world financial community is moving to starve the terrorists of their financial support. 196 countries support the financial war on terror; 142 countries have acted to freeze terrorist assets; in the U.S. alone, the assets of 153 known terrorists, terrorist organizations, and terrorist financial centers have been frozen; and major terrorist financial networks have been closed down.
}}</ref><ref name=WhiteHouse20060906>
}}</ref><ref name=WhiteHouse20060906>
{{cite news
{{cite news
| url=http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/09/20060906-3.html
| url=http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/09/20060906-3.html
| title=President Discusses Creation of Military Commissions to Try Suspected Terrorists  
| title=President Discusses Creation of Military Commissions to Try Suspected Terrorists  
| publisher=[[The White House]]
| publisher=[[White House]]
| author=[[George W. Bush]]
| author=[[George W. Bush]]
| date=2006-09-06
| date=2006-09-06
| accessdate=2008-06-26
| accessdate=2008-06-26
| quote=To win the war on terror, we must be able to detain, question, and, when appropriate, prosecute terrorists captured here in America, and on the battlefields around the world.
}}</ref><ref name=WhiteHouse20060614>
}}</ref><ref name=WhiteHouse20060614>
{{cite news
{{cite news
| url=http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/06/20060614.html
| url=http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/06/20060614.html
| title=Press Conference of the President -- June 14, 2006  
| title=Press Conference of the President -- June 14, 2006  
| publisher=[[The White House]]
| publisher=[[White House]]
| author=[[George W. Bush]]
| author=[[George W. Bush]]
| date=2006-06-14
| date=2006-06-14
| accessdate=2008-06-26
| accessdate=2008-06-26
| quote=See, Iraq is a part of the global war on terror. It's not "the" global war on terror, it's a theater in the global war on terror. And if we fail in Iraq, it's going to embolden al Qaeda types. It will weaken the resolve of moderate nations to stand up to the Islamic fascists. It will cause people to lose their nerve and not stay strong.
}}</ref>
}}</ref>
President Bush used the phrase as early as September 20, 2001 -- nine days after [[al Qaeda]]'s attack on the [[World Trade Center]] and [[the Pentagon]], on September 11, 2001.  Over six thousand documents generated by [[the White House]] use this phrase.<ref>[http://www.google.ca/search?num=100&hl=en&newwindow=1&safe=off&client=firefox-a&channel=s&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&hs=jcq&q=%22war+on+terror%22+site%3Awhitehouse.gov+2001&btnG=Search&meta= web search for speeches, press releases, and other white house documents that mention the phrase "war on terror"]</ref>
President Bush used the phrase as early as September 20, 2001 -- nine days after [[al Qaeda]]'s attack on the [[World Trade Center]] and [[Pentagon Building]]; [[9-11 Attack| on September 11, 2001]].


Critics challenge the use of this phrase, as poorly defined, and as an appeal to listeners emotions, not their intellect.  Francis Fukuyama wrote<ref name=Brookings20030514>
Critics challenge the use of this phrase, as poorly defined, and as an appeal to listeners emotions, not their intellect.  Francis Fukuyama wrote
<blockquote>The term “war on terrorism” is a misnomer, resulting in distorted ideas of the main threat facing Americans today. Terrorism is only a means to an end; in this respect, a “war on terror” makes no more sense than a war on submarines.<ref name=Brookings20030514>
{{cite news
{{cite news
| url=http://www.brookings.edu/comm/events/summary20030514.pdf
| url=http://www.brookings.edu/comm/events/summary20030514.pdf
| title=Phase III in the War on Terrorism?  Challenges and opportunities
| title=Phase III in the War on Terrorism?  Challenges and opportunities
| publisher=[[Brookings Institute]]
| publisher=Brookings Institution
| date=2003-05-14
| date=2003-05-14
| accessdate=2008-06-26
| accessdate=2008-06-26
| quote=The term “war on terrorism” is a misnomer, resulting in distorted ideas of the main threat facing Americans today. Terrorism is only a means to an end; in this respect, a “war on terror” makes no more sense than a war on submarines. The United States is not attacking terrorism generically; the concept of a war on “terrorism” in general implies that the United States has a stake in local battles such as Russia’s war in Chechnya, when in fact it does not. Similarly, the United States should provide support to Israel through shared intelligence, but Palestinian terrorism in Israel remains essentially Israel’s problem.
}}</ref></blockquote>
}}</ref>:
 
{{quotation|The term “war on terrorism” is a misnomer, resulting in distorted ideas of the main threat facing Americans today. Terrorism is only a means to an end; in this respect, a “war on terror” makes no more sense than a war on submarines.}}
Fukuyama criticized the concept for being too nebulous, for creating a climate of fear. He pointed out that a "war on terrorism" would imply the U.S. has a role in Chechnya, and in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. While Fukuyama agreed there is benefit to intelligence sharing with Israel, the actual Palestinian problem is principally Israel's local problem.  


==References==
==References==
<references/>
{{reflist|2}}

Revision as of 14:20, 28 October 2008

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The war on terror, or alternately, the global war on terror, is a phrase used by United States President George W. Bush, and is a phrase frequently used by officials of his Administration.[1][2][3][4] President Bush used the phrase as early as September 20, 2001 -- nine days after al Qaeda's attack on the World Trade Center and Pentagon Building; on September 11, 2001.

Critics challenge the use of this phrase, as poorly defined, and as an appeal to listeners emotions, not their intellect. Francis Fukuyama wrote

The term “war on terrorism” is a misnomer, resulting in distorted ideas of the main threat facing Americans today. Terrorism is only a means to an end; in this respect, a “war on terror” makes no more sense than a war on submarines.[5]

Fukuyama criticized the concept for being too nebulous, for creating a climate of fear. He pointed out that a "war on terrorism" would imply the U.S. has a role in Chechnya, and in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. While Fukuyama agreed there is benefit to intelligence sharing with Israel, the actual Palestinian problem is principally Israel's local problem.

References