I Don't Understand This..."Winning the War" Thing

[Steely_Dan]

I'm not clear on how the Bush Administration can state over and over and over again that "we will win the war on terrorism." We will hear this mantra once again tomorrow night...and there will be those that will believe Bush. They will believe that it is actually possible to win a war against "terrorism."

Is it just me or is it simply IMPOSSIBLE TO WIN A WAR AGAINST TERRORISM?

A terrorist army can be as small as one person with bombs strapped to his/her belt. How is it even remotely possible to "declare" victory in a war against terrorists? Can't those in middle America see this?

I remember a scene from Godfather II, you might recall...Michael is visiting Roth in Havana. On his way to Roth's villa, Michael witnesses a Cuban rebel jump into the back seat of a police car with a grenade, blowing up everyone in and around the car. Michael relates this story to Roth during their meeting. Roth tells Michael not to worry. These things happen. And anyway, the rebels have no chance. Michael respectfully disagrees with Roth stating: "You know what it tells me when I see a man sacrifice his life for a cause?" "What? says Roth. "It means they can win," Michael says. Roth has no response.

-Paige

[shraby]

1. The "war on terrorism" ranks right up there

with the "war on poverty" and the "war on drugs". All impossible wars to win.

[DefenseLawyer]

4. I would say the three have nothing to do with each other

except in the use of the term "war". A war on drugs is impossible to win because as long as there is demand for the product, any "success" in the so called war will actually cause higher profits for those willing to meet the demand. I see no similarity to the war on poverty, which has failed because most people do not have the political will to make the kind of sacrifices and radical changes needed to accomplish it.

[Steely_Dan]

6. Excellent Point

[Writer]

2. I've seen some members of the White House press corp ask...

what metric the American people must use to measure "success" against the Iraqi insurgents.

The press also should ask: "What metric must we use to measure 'success' in the war on terror?"

[madeline_con]

3. "Is it just me or is it simply ...

... IMPOSSIBLE TO WIN A WAR AGAINST TERRORISM?"

Al Qaeda hit the news for most people on 9/11. Since then, everybody with a beef and a bomb has been tied to their "network".

This makes it look like they're all one big happy group to the morons who believe the "War on Terra" is a winnable thing. Any day now, DUH can put on his little jumpsuit and announce that 'combat operations' are over.

[HR_Pufnstuf]

5. Same as declaring a War on Mosquitos.

Impossible.

[Oversea Visitor]

7. Isnt it obivious

They know that all they need is time to get all the goodies divide and contract signed and delivered.
So mean while to buy time WE ARE WINNING WE ARE WINNING

[Catchawave]

8. In that part of the world...

...people have been killing each other for 2500 years, and despite our "little coup", will probably go on killing each other for another 2500 years!

[Broken_Hero]

9. Its a war of words/fairytales....

Its just like the war on drugs, in my pov, the war on drugs and the war on terrorism is the same damn thing. The war on drugs started with what, Reagan, and here we are still at war with drugs. The same things is going to happen to Terrorism ,its pretty damn sad that people think the war on terrorism is going to be WON. Look, people are do dead set against the USA they are strapping bombs on to themselves, strapping BOMBS to themselves...That is a lot of hate. The only way to stop people like that is to kill them, and there is no way the USA can do that, there is absolutely no way they can do that. There is no way to can off anyone who hates america, its impossible.

People say to me the war on drugs can be won, just like the war on terrorism. when i heard that the first time, i just about fell over onto the ground laughing. There is no way to win the war on drugs, damn, everyone in america is on a prescription or addicted to cigarettes, caffeine, alcohol, or something, everyone takes some sort of medication, aren't these drugs? Don't a lot of these mentioned drugs cause death? Ha, as long as there is demand for drugs, the war on drugs is never ever going to be won. Same with terrorism, its never going to be won. Are we going to kill a lot of terrorists? yeah, likely. But to put an end to it? Never, its a never ending quagmire. Thats why Bush didn't put a time line on it, cause the war on terrorism, like drugs is going to last forever...until someone blows up our planet, than the war on drugs/teror will be won....:P

[Lecky]

10. Too bad no one told George

that you don't win the war on terror by making everyone hate you even more.