War on Terrorism
Every so often I read something that makes way too much sense. This is from an email I got today:
Because we use the shorthand phrase ‘war on terrorism’ to describe the U.S. response to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, it is easy to believe that this war-like all previous wars-can be won simply by killing the enemy, wearing them down until they are broken and capitulate. Given that suicide terrorists are, by definition, undeterrable, it seems that we have no choice but to kill them before they kill us. But this is a different kind of war that requires a different paradigm.
- Focus the war on terrorism only on the Al Qaeda terrorist network and not expand it to other groups or countries that have not attacked, or do not represent a direct terrorist threat to, the United States;
- Finish the job of aggressively hunting down Al Qaeda’s leadership that fled to Pakistan from Afghanistan;
- Recognize that much of the war on terrorism will not involve large-scale military action but will emphasize diplomatic, intelligence, and law enforcement cooperation with other countries;
- Work with foreign governments to apprehend Al Qaeda operatives in other countries;
- Approve the use of U.S. Special Forces for specific operations against Al Qaeda operatives when foreign governments are unable or unwilling to take action themselves; and
- Make domestic counterterrorism to find Al Qaeda operatives in the United States the top priority for the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Exerpted from CATO HANDBOOK ON POLICY - DISMANTLING AL QAEDA
When's the government going to get this idea through their heads?
As the "War on Terrorrism" is currently being enacted, I don't think it is winnable.
Because we use the shorthand phrase ‘war on terrorism’ to describe the U.S. response to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, it is easy to believe that this war-like all previous wars-can be won simply by killing the enemy, wearing them down until they are broken and capitulate. Given that suicide terrorists are, by definition, undeterrable, it seems that we have no choice but to kill them before they kill us. But this is a different kind of war that requires a different paradigm.
- Focus the war on terrorism only on the Al Qaeda terrorist network and not expand it to other groups or countries that have not attacked, or do not represent a direct terrorist threat to, the United States;
- Finish the job of aggressively hunting down Al Qaeda’s leadership that fled to Pakistan from Afghanistan;
- Recognize that much of the war on terrorism will not involve large-scale military action but will emphasize diplomatic, intelligence, and law enforcement cooperation with other countries;
- Work with foreign governments to apprehend Al Qaeda operatives in other countries;
- Approve the use of U.S. Special Forces for specific operations against Al Qaeda operatives when foreign governments are unable or unwilling to take action themselves; and
- Make domestic counterterrorism to find Al Qaeda operatives in the United States the top priority for the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Exerpted from CATO HANDBOOK ON POLICY - DISMANTLING AL QAEDA
When's the government going to get this idea through their heads?
As the "War on Terrorrism" is currently being enacted, I don't think it is winnable.