Bush defends 'war on terrorism' label

[Kadie]

Bush defends 'war on terrorism' label
by Olivier Knox
17 minutes ago



WASHINGTON (AFP) - Hours after the September 11, 2001 attacks, US President George W. Bush declared "war on terrorism." In August 2004, he said that was the wrong label, but then quickly re-embraced it.

This week, Bush again went on the defensive over the succinct but powerful phrase after Democrats looking to succeed him assailed it as a catch-all used by the White House to justify outrages and blunders as well as browbeat political opponents.

Former senator John Edwards blasted Bush's "war on terrorism" line as a rhetorical "sledgehammer" in a speech.

"He has used this doctrine like a sledgehammer to justify the worst abuses and biggest mistakes of his administration, from Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib, to the war in Iraq," said Edwards, who seeks the presidency in the 2008 elections.

"ItÂ’s a bumper sticker, not a plan. It has damaged our alliances and weakened our standing in the world -- itÂ’s been used to justify everything from the Iraq War to Guantanamo to illegal spying on the American people."

more...
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070527/pl_afp/usattacksbushrhetoric_070527021534

[rucky]

1. "It's a bumpersticker, not a plan."

Best line of the campaign so far.

[pinto]

2. I agree. That nailed it.