In the comments to a recent post, a reader named Allison pointed out the gradual shift in language from the United States waging a “War on Terrorism” to a “War on Terror.”
Another reader points out the latest permutation of the Brand Name of Everlasting War: The Long War. Check out this recent LA Times piece which also uses the phrase “The Long War on Extremism“. And here’s an item in the International Herald Tribune where William Pfaff uses the phrase “the Global Struggle against Violent Extremism”.
I’m curious if these are just isolated usages created by writers, or if this signifies the early stages of a new brand roll-out to sell us a new vision of how war works and what it’s for. Have you seen any other similar references which could be grouped with the above?
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18 Comments
It’s not isolated. It is a conscious shift on the part of the National Security Council.
Check out the 2nd to last paragraph in this article by Jim Hoagland. He frames the change in the same sentence he specifies it.
I saw an official US government statement which stated the intention of the US to wage war indefinately anywhere deemed necessary icluding in “countries we are not at war with”. It used this language. They also outlined contigincy plans to fight China. China was not impressed.
Sorry, I can’t remember the link.
Hasn’t it always been the War On Terror rather than Terrorism? I’m fairly sure I was calling it that myself three or four years ago…
It was indeed always “terror” rather than “terrorism”, but “the long war” is new. And more grounds for the US people waking up.
It also reminded me of “The LOng Game” from last year’s Doctor Who TV show, which resulted ultimately in the total destruction of the human race.
The message from General Peter Pace, the chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff, was apocalyptic. “We are at a critical time in the history of this great country and find ourselves challenged in ways we did not expect. We face a ruthless enemy intent on destroying our way of life and an uncertain future.”
Gen Pace was endorsing the Pentagon’s four-yearly strategy review, presented to Congress last week. The report sets out a plan for prosecuting what the the Pentagon describes in the preface as “The Long War”, which replaces the “war on terror”. The long war represents more than just a linguistic shift: it reflects the ongoing development of US strategic thinking since the September 11 attacks.
Looking beyond the Iraq and Afghan battlefields, US commanders envisage a war unlimited in time and space against global Islamist extremism. “The struggle … may well be fought in dozens of other countries simultaneously and for many years to come,” the report says.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,1710062,00.html
In another significant terminological shift, the Pentagon document defines the main enemy not as terrorists, but rather as “violent extremists†or merely “extremists.â€
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2006/feb2006/pent-f09.shtml
Holy shit… this is really the beginning of a whole new fucked up era. I’m really astonished by all this.
They announced World War III.
And I say again they announced plans to attack China PUBLICALLY! Coupled with previous statements that they would use ’safe’ nukes!
Sorry about the diabolical spelig
it’s radio free albemuth all over again, baby! where’s aramchek when we need em?
We are at war with Eurasia. We have always been at war with Eurasia. Eastasia is our ally.
We are in a long war against extremists. We have always been in a long war against extremists…
Osama is our Emmanuel Goldstein.
They’ve been slowly leading us down the primrose path towards accepting an eternal war on anyone at any time. W’s much criticized comments about us being on a “crusade” was just a test run. They didn’t give up that line of thinking, they just decided it would take more marketing and mass pyschological programming to get everyone to acquiesce to it. By “they” eye mean the Party, of course.
There’s far too much money in the business of war and the vast majority of our other industries appear to be dependent on that primary business. More and more Ahriman of the ol’ persian belief-system represents to kmee more a specific type of adversarial entropic force–one that aims to the dissipation of souls in favor of lifeless mechanism/object. It aims for puppets and animatrons against organic, cooperative and yet still independent, conscious being. the appearance of life, rather than life itself–which is far too chaotic, far too messy and no longer amenable to the bottom line.
Skidoo.
I wrote about this, shortly after Mr Pace’s rather horrifying speech:
http://taognostic.org/2006/02/18/the-long-war/
I finished my post by commenting on this paragraph, which I thought was hilarious:
“We in the defence department feel fairly confident that our forces will be called on to be engaged somewhere in the world in the next decade where they’re currently not engaged, but we have no idea whatsoever where that might be, when that might be or in what circumstances that they might be engaged.â€
This whole issue was reported last year in U.S. News & World Report– it pays off to subscribe to right-wing rags… Know your enemy, I always say.
And yes, it was a conscious decision to go from “War on Terror” to “War on Extremism”… I’ll look through my archives, see if I can find the issue that specifically reports this.
I would love to see more info on this. Thanks James
this is the game that nations have always played. it is just that the information is coming faster and there is more of it. that doesn`t mean that the information is any more accurate though. just more. and the reactions tend to be stronger also. which keeps people divided.
Hi Tim,
This new ‘marketing strategy’ happened mid-last year. As usual, Jon Stewart and Steven Colbert ripped it up on the Daily Show - definitely worth the download (from the excellent Crooks and Liars):
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2005/07/28.html#a4201
When Rummy gets the line wrong, it betrays how conscious a choice it is for these guys to repeat the talking points. Politics these days is just marketing.
Peace and Respect,
Greg