# End of Terror War in sight **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 2, 2007, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/end-of-terror-war-in-sight/394353 "2007-03-02T20:56:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2007, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/end-of-terror-war-in-sight/394353/1 "2007-03-02T20:56:56Z")
Great news, everyone! There’s no longer a need to fret over the dangers of terrorism, because our Fearless Leaders are already [envisioning the end of the Global War on Terror:](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/27/AR2007022702109.html?nav=rss_print/asection) > [@](#): > > The Pentagon, in a series of recent memos, is making the fight against terrorism synonymous with Iraq (although it has been pretty much confirmed that Saddam Hussein wasn’t involved in the Sept. 11 attacks) and has issued a clear call for getting the job done by the end of next year. > > …“to ensure that warfighters and taxpayers receive maximum benefit from on-going initiatives,” [Dep. Defense Secretary Gordon] England suggested, “it would be highly desirable to complete current projects by the summer/fall of 2008.” > > There’s a handy “notional” grid with the memos, with the eight priorities down the left side and quarterly milestones for 2007 and 2008 across the top. Little triangles denote the “expected milestone conclusion date.” > > Sure enough, the **GWOT looks to be over around October 2008,** a month before… Gosh, I have absolutely _no idea_ what fun events are planned for November 2008, but it’s good to know the war on terra will be finished just in time for it! Golly gee willikers! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2007, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/end-of-terror-war-in-sight/394353/2 "2007-03-02T21:30:05Z")
Sure, it’s taken five long years to reach this point, but the tough part was getting the terrorists to agree to a schedule. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2007, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/end-of-terror-war-in-sight/394353/3 "2007-03-02T21:30:35Z")
So…what’s the debate? ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2007, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/end-of-terror-war-in-sight/394353/4 "2007-03-02T23:10:27Z")
Sorry, I had originally intended to posit a debate on the OP, but got caught up in the giddiness of the moment and forgot. With that in mind, I will belatedly toss out the following: Does this prove beyond a reasonable doubt(\*) that the Bush Administration’s ongoing Global War on Terror – including crackdowns on civil liberties, excessive Presidential secrecy, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the latest “surge” in the Middle East – is nothing more than a political ploy to manipulate the populace? (\* = for the 25%33% of Americans who still support GWB and his military misadventures) ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2007, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/end-of-terror-war-in-sight/394353/5 "2007-03-02T23:39:50Z")
[QUOTE=rjung] Sorry, I had originally intended to posit a debate on the OP, but got caught up in the giddiness of the moment and forgot. [/quote] That’s a shock… > [@](#): > > With that in mind, I will belatedly toss out the following: Does this prove beyond a reasonable doubt(\*) that the Bush Administration’s ongoing Global War on Terror – including crackdowns on civil liberties, excessive Presidential secrecy, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the latest “surge” in the Middle East – is nothing more than a political ploy to manipulate the populace? > > (\* = for the 25%33% of Americans who still support GWB and his military misadventures) Well, why don’t you put forth an argument one way or the other. Tell us why you think it either is or isn’t, not just that you think it either is or isn’t. ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2007, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/end-of-terror-war-in-sight/394353/6 "2007-03-03T07:01:46Z")
[QUOTE=rjung] Does this prove beyond a reasonable doubt(\*) that the Bush Administration’s ongoing Global War on Terror – including crackdowns on civil liberties, excessive Presidential secrecy, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the latest “surge” in the Middle East – is nothing more than a political ploy to manipulate the populace? [/QUOTE] It doesn’t even suggest it. It just means that the current projects in the GWOT are to be wrapped up and readied to be handed over to the next team in 2008. Didn’t you read the article? Al Kamen’s cracking wise. However, it bears repeating that Iraq actually _ **is** _ one of the central fronts in the GWoT. Believing it has made it so believe it or not. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2007, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/end-of-terror-war-in-sight/394353/7 "2007-03-03T14:07:24Z")
I concur that there’s little to debate here; I’d say the place for this thread is in the Pit, since that forum isn’t just for rants - one can Pit through ridicule as well. What’s impressive to me is how quickly the GWOT has gone from being a vast, intractable struggle of indefinite length, to one that’s sufficiently circumscribed that we can set a schedule for bringing it to a successful close. It’s a shame we can’t publicly honor the brave heroes, operating covertly in the secrecy of the White House policy staff, who effected this sudden transformation. ---
**Author:** ![GLWasteful](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f05b48/32.png) [@GLWasteful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GLWasteful)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2007, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/end-of-terror-war-in-sight/394353/8 "2007-03-03T14:13:05Z")
[QUOTE=RTFirefly] It’s a shame we can’t publicly honor the brave heroes, operating covertly in the secrecy of the White House policy staff, who effected this sudden transformation. [/QUOTE] Aye, but they’re only too happy to toil in anonymity. Just so long as they know that they helped make America safe is thanks enough for them. Well, and maybe some Halliburton stock. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2007, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/end-of-terror-war-in-sight/394353/9 "2007-03-03T14:26:57Z")
[QUOTE=GLWasteful] Aye, but they’re only too happy to toil in anonymity. Just so long as they know that they helped make America safe is thanks enough for them. Well, and maybe some Halliburton stock. [/QUOTE] Or a comfortable sinecure at AEI or Heritage. ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2007, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/end-of-terror-war-in-sight/394353/10 "2007-03-03T17:19:47Z")
[QUOTE=RTFirefly] What’s impressive to me is how quickly the GWOT has gone from being a vast, intractable struggle of indefinite length, to one that’s sufficiently circumscribed that we can set a schedule for bringing it to a successful close. [/quote] Am I being whooshed, or are you posting in earnest here?