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Obama Abandons 'War on Terror' Catchphrase

Posted by Amanda Terkel, Think Progress at 10:22 AM on January 31, 2009.


Obama has instead more broadly referenced the "enduring struggle against terrorism and extremism."
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The Associated Press notes that only once since taking office on Jan. 20 has President Barack Obama used the phrase "war on terror," which was always on the lips of President George W. Bush. Obama has instead more broadly referenced the "enduring struggle against terrorism and extremism."

Anthony Cordesman, a Canadian Security Intelligence Service national security analyst, notes that Bush's phrase became "became associated in the minds of many people outside the Unites States, and particularly in places where the countries are largely Islamic and Arab, as being anti-Islam and anti-Arab."

Indeed, a Pentagon-funded study last year recommended that the United States do away with the terminology because the strategy behind it was "not successful in undermining al-Qaida's capabilities."

Digg!

Tagged as: obama, war on terror, catchphrase

Amanda Terkel is deputy research director at the Center for American Progress and serves as deputy editor for the Progress Report and ThinkProgress.org at the Center for American Progress.


Return to War on Iraq  » Post Tools: email EMAIL print PRINT 19 COMMENTS PERMALINK
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Obama Abandons 'War on Terror' Catchphrase
[Report this comment]
Posted by: Quannah on Jan 31, 2009 10:47 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
And while he's at it, why not remove creepy phrases like "Department of HOMELAND Security?"

Maybe he will appoint someone to "De-1984" our lexicon completely. We sure need it.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

GEORGE BUSH'S INVENTION
[Report this comment]
Posted by: VZEQICVA on Jan 31, 2009 11:29 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
The War on Terror was intended to allow Bush to do whatever he pleased and justify it with his powers as a wartime president. It began on Sept. 11,2001 and has become a premanent state. Obama is wise to stop using the phrase. Enemies should be more clearly defined. The current situation in Afganistan is a worry. Giving it a new name won't change anything. No matter what he calls it, he's creating another monster. More American blood will be shed for no good reason. Surge? Against what? These people are ruthless, and haven't been beaten for a thousand years. It's a continuation of Bush's war. Giving it a new name won't change anything. Obama is a major disappointment to me on this issue. ANNA

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

a rose by any other name
[Report this comment]
Posted by: undrgrndgirl on Jan 31, 2009 11:34 AM   
Current rating: 2    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
this is its just a linguistic game...he could call it "a walk in the park" but that doesn't change what it IS! (like how the media went from calling TARP "bailout" to "rescue" - didn't change the fact that 'we the people' got screwed)

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

How about removing the sentiment and belief instead of just changing the words
[Report this comment]
Posted by: DCostello2 on Jan 31, 2009 11:49 AM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Obama still BELIEVES there is a war on terror and is still intent on FIGHTING a war on terror so WHAT DOES IT MATTER if he calls it something different. It's still the same thing just a different name. Kinda like the US in general. Nothing much under the surface has really changes, it's just been rebranded.

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

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A Pentagon-Funded Study???????????????????
[Report this comment]
Posted by: seaoftears on Feb 2, 2009 7:15 AM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
WTF??? Funded??? No wonder the goverment is Broke! I have got to find out just how much "funding" it took to find out what anyone with the internet could find out for NOTHING! Damn...sign me up for the next study. This is crazy. It should be illegal to make being a politican a lifetime job. Maybe if these idiots could only serve 5-8 years max in a lifetime, then be forced back into the real world to live by the changes they made, they might think about what they do. A funded study to find out what the whole world already knows??? I wonder who was paid for all this research? Halburton? One would think that since they were getting 'funded' for the research, that maybe, just maybe, they would have discovered that refering to the US as the 'homeland' is just what Hitler called Germany. I guess that is for the next 'Pentagon-Funded Study'.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

How about a dragnet to catch Osama bin Laden?
[Report this comment]
Posted by: citizenjoe on Feb 3, 2009 7:21 AM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Somehow the real enemy, the leader of al Qaeda, has been "forgotten". Bush did not seriously pursue him. Instead of trying to rule the world why doesn't the USA concentrate on the murder of 9/11? Are they afraid that maybe his ties to the Saudi Royal family might be embarrassing or that if they caught him they would loose their excuse for invading and occupying Afghanistan and Iraq? Whatever, the real target is never been our gun sights. Instead, we try to steal rights to oil and gas.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

new age nazis
[Report this comment]
Posted by: zorro on Feb 3, 2009 10:35 PM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
the comments here seem to ignore the content of the article. It doesn't say he stoppped ussing the term 'war on terror'--it says he adopted it since his time in office. He refused to use it during the election to fool us, but now that he's elected the new boss is same as the old boss. Well, maybe not the same. But the game is the same. he is just the public face. A face the 'other' half of America can tolerate, even like. Bus appealed to the idiots. And Obama appeals to the mainstream population. new face..same game. The new age nazis control america--always have.

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Declaring a War on "Concepts"... are power grabs...
[Report this comment]
Posted by: Bearzerker on Feb 3, 2009 11:02 PM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
...by stupid people, made for idiot voters!

just remember...
you voted Bush43 into office not once!
!!!... but twice...!!!

Bush's colloquialisms and bad speech reflected the moronic idiocracy of his political ambitions, goals and the ideals which he gave wholeheartedly, for the whole world to witness, and then hate with a vengeance!

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Different but the same
[Report this comment]
Posted by: BobNoxious on Feb 4, 2009 12:51 PM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
"War on Terror"
"Enduring struggle against terrorism and extremism."

Either way its endless conflict, feeding the Industrial Military Complex. Endless "1984".

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

be honest
[Report this comment]
Posted by: edgar1 on Feb 6, 2009 2:11 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
it's a war against fundementalist islam.

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