Charles Allen, the senior intelligence official at the Department of Homeland Security, wants the US to drop the phrase "war on terror." Allen thinks the phrase creates “animus” in Islamic countries. The Lede:
During his commencement address to Air Force Academy graduates on Wednesday, President Bush made a fairly uncontroversial declaration. “The war on terror,” he said, “will dominate your military careers.” But will it always have the same name?Just what we need: bureaucrats sitting in meetings discussing ways to "tweak the rhetoric of war." I prefer men and women with the courage to wage a real war against Islamic jihadists. Allen doesn't seem up to the challenge. (Photo Dept Homeland Security)
This morning in Financial Times, the Homeland Security Department’s top intelligence official became the latest prominent leader to say that the phrase should be dropped. “It is interpreted in the Muslim world as a war on Islam and we don’t need this,” Under Secretary Charles E. Allen said, adding that it spreads “animus” far beyond the enemy.
He was relatively late to taking sides in this public debate — the list of opponents includes Britain, the House budget committee, folks on the campaign trail and the current chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff — but just in time for a reinvigorated discussion within the U.S. government on tweaking the rhetoric of war.
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