'War on terror' was a mistake, says Miliband

[CHIMO]

Source: The Guardian

The foreign secretary, David Miliband, today argues that the use of the "war on terror" as a western rallying cry since the September 11 attacks has been a mistake that may have caused "more harm than good".

In an article in today's Guardian, five days before the Bush administration leaves the White House, Miliband delivers a comprehensive critique of its defining mission, saying the war on terror was misconceived and that the west cannot "kill its way" out of the threats it faces.

British officials quietly stopped using the phrase "war on terror" in 2006, but this is the first time it has been comprehensively discarded in the most outspoken remarks on US counterterrorism strategy to date by a British minister.

UK-US relations have been particular sour in recent days after Washington reneged on a pledge to back a largely British-drafted UN resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. The White House over-ruled US diplomats after a demand from the Israeli prime minister, Ehud Olmert.


Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/jan/15/war-on-terror-miliband

[polichick]

1. Having a "war on" anything is a huge mistake - glad some people get it.

[LynnTheDem]

2. Well golly gee that's a great big

DUHHHH.


So many dead. But who the fuck coulda known, huh.

[bemildred]

3. Today's "No shit Sherlock!" award.

It was correctly pointed out as a stupid idea at the time, but better late than never.

[santamargarita]

4. War on a tactic is like Bush - a mistake!

~

[Jefferson23]

5. From the article:

"UK-US relations have been particular sour in recent days after Washington reneged on a pledge to back a largely British-drafted UN resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. The White House over-ruled US diplomats after a demand from the Israeli prime minister, Ehud Olmert."

You see, it is just that Bush is more blood thirsty than the UK may have ever realized.

[Xipe Totec]

6. Ya think?!

:eyes:

[stillcool]

7. change the name..

the game remains the same.

[shadowknows69]

8. Thanks for catching up dumbasses

[dipsydoodle]

11. Catching up ?

The UK dropped the expression in 2006. Please enlighten all of us with when the USA dropped it. :sarcasm:

[trthnd4jstc]

9. No Duh!

But thanks for the article, and thanks for the post!

[scytherius]

10. Add to that the War on Drugs and we have a start. n/t

nt

[struggle4progress]

12. Miliband regrets 'war on terror' (BBC)

... Writing in the Guardian, Mr Miliband said the idea had unified disparate "terrorist groups" against the West.

He said the right response to the threat was to champion law and human rights - not subordinate it.

Mr Miliband repeated the views in a speech in Mumbai, India, the scene of attacks by gunmen last year.

Mr Miliband's warning comes five days before the end of US President George Bush's administration, which has led the so-called "war on terror" ...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/7829946.stm

[Cha]

13. Yeah, we were saying that on

DU before the bombings commenced.

Obama said it too in that Speech on Oct 10, 2002.

[Kaleko]

14. No mistake there.

'War on terror' and 'war on drugs' is code to give these operations a veneer of legitimacy.
Both are wars of aggression so the US can seize and control the resources of sovereign nations.

[Name removed]

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