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sunnystarr Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jul-28-05 11:51 AM
Original message
When you can't win a war change the name
I've been pondering this for few days trying to devine what they're up to next. Because everything for them has an underlying, usually sinister purpose.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/26/politics/26strategy.html?pagewanted=all&oref=login

Of course my first thought was that if you can't win a war then change the name. But that was too benign.

Ominously the NYT article states:

In recent speeches and news conferences, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and the nation's senior military officer have spoken of "a global struggle against violent extremism" rather than "the global war on terror," which had been the catchphrase of choice. Administration officials say that phrase may have outlived its usefulness, because it focused attention solely, and incorrectly, on the military campaign.

Gen. Richard B. Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the National Press Club on Monday that he had "objected to the use of the term 'war on terrorism' before, because if you call it a war, then you think of people in uniform as being the solution." He said the threat instead should be defined as violent extremists, with the recognition that "terror is the method they use."


Besides making me wonder why the name of the war is suddenly reduced to a "catchphrase of choice," raising the question, 'has this war had a name at all', both Rumsfeld and Myers are seeking to remove that this war is focused on a military campaign, "because if you call it a war, then you think of people in uniform being the solution."

So listen up people, we're not at war. Forget the "shock and awe," erase the images of the dead and wounded Iraqis (especially the children), forget our dead and wounded family members, friends, fellow Americans and those who are still risking their lives every day. Especially important is to forget the torture.

If we're not at war then no Geneva Conventions. By changing the meme our administration can avoid accountability and be left to torture in peace and at will. As an added bonus how can we commit war crimes if we're not at war? That takes care of an internation war tribunal. Ah the benefits of changing a meme!

Then the article informs us:

Although the military is heavily engaged in the mission now, he said, future efforts require "all instruments of our national power, all instruments of the international communities' national power." The solution is "more diplomatic, more economic, more political than it is military," he concluded.


Notice that we're engaged in a "mission" not a "war." So is Bush a "mission president" and no longer a "war president" as he so often tells us? Then this is the most expensive "mission" in the history of any country.

and the change in *'s thinking:


Administration and Pentagon officials say the revamped campaign has grown out of meetings of President Bush's senior national security advisers that began in January, and it reflects the evolution in Mr. Bush's own thinking nearly four years after the Sept. 11 attacks.


I take this to mean that Bush is admitting that he was WRONG, that he made a MISTAKE! So they poured over Kerry's solutions and decided to go in the direction Kerry outlined. Assuming of course that they can glean "all instruments of the international communities' nation power," which in simple terms appears to be the support of the international community. The support we didn't have and what we did have is quickly eroding.

Mr. Rumsfeld spoke in the new terms... described America's efforts as it "wages the global struggle against the enemies of freedom, the enemies of civilization.".


Did our Congress vote to "wage{s} global struggle against the enemies of freedom, the enemies of civilization?" Is this the purpose that 300 BILLION American taxpayer dollars have been allocated?

This sounds like a crusade to me. Who defines these enemies? Can the meme be changed to include progressive thinking Dems in the future? After the administration and it's henchmen have called us UN-Americans who espouse Communistic ideals, as well as other similarly disparaging remarks, this new meme won't include us in the near future.

However, the "mission" is now a "global struggle." Can we now expect a never-ending drain on our economy which threatens every social program we hold dear and which keeps us economically surviving? This new meme has no end. There will always be enemies so by definition we will always be in "struggle." I guess we'll know they succeeded when Webster defines war as a "struggle" and a "mission."

Prince changed his name to a symbol and became known as "the artist formerly known as Prince." The Nazi's had a symbol, one outlawed in Germany after their "struggle" ended. Their symbol became analogous with nation building, for pre-emptively attacking sovereign nations justified by merely identifying them as enemies.

So as we now will have "the struggle formerly known as the War on Terror," let's not be fooled and let's remind the media not to be fooled of the real motives of those in power who are destroying our country while pillaging nations and destroying their human treasure. The symbol is the same, even though we're attacked when we reference it. Iraq was the first and it won't be the last unless they are stopped. Another 9/11 looms on the horizon and the target, deserving or not, will be Iran.
http://www.justinlogan.com/justinlogancom/2005/07/what_is_the_pla.html

When will Americans stand up and say enough is enough?
















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aden_nak Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jul-28-05 11:53 AM
Response to Original message
1. Going from Terrorism to Extremism is dangerous.
Because Terrorism is relatively easily defined, and generally is limited to killing or threatening to kill innocent civilians for political ends. Extremism is much more vague. A demonstration or rally could be extreme. A President could be extreme. Shit, a set of rollerblades could be extreme. It's loose language, and it's entirely too inclusive.
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blonndee Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jul-28-05 07:11 PM
Response to Reply #1
8. Yup. I agree with you. Even when Jonnie Boy was making me laugh about it
last night, I was thinking the same thing. "Extremism" these days seems to be anything remotely dissident.
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MostlyLurks Donating Member (738 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jul-28-05 12:27 PM
Response to Original message
2. "Struggle" Also Implies Permanence
In addition to the points already made, another thing that concerns me is the timeframe of "war" as opposed to "struggle".

War is a finite period in which there is a beginning, middle, end. It has definitive points at which it is current and then becomes past.

Struggle is an ongoing, often permanent, situation. I struggle with my weight, he struggles with his past, she struggles with alcoholism. Almost all of the time, "struggle" is used to indicate an ongoing state of conflict, tumult, or challenge.

I think this new phrase really signals a new phase of the propaganda-catapult, in which we are being primed for the idea of a never-ending state of conflict and conflagration.

The odd thing is that I actually agree, for the first time, with this admin: I think this whole idea of "ridding the world of extremism" is complete bullplop, irreconcilable with human nature and is therefore, on its face, a never-ending pursuit.

Mostly.
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paula777 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jul-28-05 12:36 PM
Response to Original message
3. They figure you can't be brought up on 'struggle crimes' but you can on
war crimes. Covering their chicken hawk buts again
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meow2u3 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Jul-29-05 11:32 PM
Response to Reply #3
16. You took the words right off my keyboard
I was on the line with the Randi Rhodes show to tell her just that--that Bush can be prosecuted for struggle crimes--but the show was over before she could get to me. :(
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truth2power Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jul-28-05 01:13 PM
Response to Original message
4. If we're no longer at war,
then release the "detainees".

I'm gonna just implode here... :banghead:
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Disturbed Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jul-28-05 02:17 PM
Response to Reply #4
5. Perception becomes reality.
The RW has clever language manipulators. They have figured out how to frame issues to their favor. The RW has applied advertising methods to politics and PR is as important as governing. "War On Terror" was getting hackneyed and trite so they changed the language to alter the perception. Amerika is mostly a soundbyte nation. Slogans are prime. Orwell was ahead of his time and correct.

Amerika has moved from being a Plutocracy to a Corporatocrisy. The proper name is Fascisism but it is best not to use that word. That word conjurs up Hitler for most and the Holocaust. It is the wrong perception. Corporatocrisy is too intellectual. Perhaps Corporate Rule is more apt. I am not great at framing the issue or creating slogans. Dems surely need someone or a group to work on the language and framing.
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truth2power Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Jul-29-05 10:48 PM
Response to Reply #5
15. I understand what you're saying.
My post above was my attempt at sarcasm. I wouldn't really expect these Orwellian SOBs to be logical or anything.

Americans are victims of mind control and most have no idea what's being done to them.I don't know how we fix that. George Lakoff is doing some good things with framing at www.RockridgeInstitute.com but how can that overcome hate radio 24/7?

BTW - Is that Ministry of Oil picture a photoshop? Just asking, because if it's not fake it's pretty disgusting.
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Wish Upon A Star Donating Member (26 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jul-28-05 02:18 PM
Response to Original message
6. What is it called now?
I believe the original title was "Operation Iraqi Freedom."
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Disturbed Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jul-28-05 02:57 PM
Response to Reply #6
7. "Operation Iraqi Independence"
O.I.L.
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ChiciB1 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jul-28-05 07:14 PM
Response to Original message
9. Beat Me To The Punch...
I was just going to Post this!

Cute ain't it??? Global Struggle Against Violent Extremists! And they're saying they thought of this long ago!

Oh, take me AWAY!!

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electron_blue Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jul-28-05 07:51 PM
Response to Reply #9
12. hey - and it has a cute acronym, too!
G-SAVE

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snowbear Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jul-28-05 07:38 PM
Response to Original message
10. When the were talking about this on MSNBC a little while ago..
..they said Rumsfeld was just talking and accidently still used the term "War on Terror".. He paused for a second (probably trying to remember the new phrase he's supposed to use now) :rofl:

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electron_blue Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jul-28-05 07:50 PM
Response to Reply #10
11. hmmm hmmm hmmm, I just do have to wonder now
Edited on Thu Jul-28-05 07:51 PM by electron_blue
Will efforts to struggle with extremism benefit from the Patriot Act which the Repubs swore was *ONLY* for fighting the war on terror?? It goes w/o saying, of course it will.

"Patriot Act is only for terrorists, will not be used against average Americans"

I'd laugh, but it's just so pathetic. The Bush admin is now much closer, in the public's eye, to using the Patriot Act against the avg American. Extremists, if you want to call some of them that.

Whenever I've argued against the Patriot Act with friends and acquaintances who were Rep, they always countered with how this is only a temporary measure meant to fight the hideous terrorists - no other way to fight terrorists, blah blah.

Now what are they going to say?
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Poiuyt Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jul-28-05 08:14 PM
Response to Original message
13. Does this mean that Bush is now the Global Struggle President?
I thought he wanted to be the War President.
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RUMMYisFROSTED Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jul-28-05 08:16 PM
Response to Original message
14. Franks is an idiot.
Edited on Thu Jul-28-05 08:20 PM by RUMMYisFROSTED
*knock* *knock*
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Bluesplayer Donating Member (660 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Jul-29-05 11:40 PM
Response to Original message
17. .
so bush is a struggle-mongerer?
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loyalsister Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jul-30-05 01:54 AM
Response to Original message
18. It was inspired by the poll
Edited on Sat Jul-30-05 01:58 AM by loyalsister
I remember seeing a poll a few days ago that indicated a significant number of people see the war on terror as "unwinnable." Imagine that!
Jon Stewart astutely pointed out that that was most likely the impetus for the name change, given that "struggle" does imply permanence. It is not a win or lose situation just ongoing fight.
This is propaganda that I am sure Dr. Goebels would smile proudly upon.
Whether you buy the comparison of the politics of Nazi Germany to our current situation or not, it is very difficult to deny that we are using the propaganda techniques.
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Bluesplayer Donating Member (660 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jul-30-05 03:31 PM
Response to Reply #18
19. hmmm
"If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State."
-- Joseph Goebbels, German Minister of Propaganda, 1933-1945
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Bluesplayer Donating Member (660 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jul-30-05 03:32 PM
Response to Reply #18
20. Goering
Of course the people don't want war. But after all, it's the leaders of the country who determine the policy, and it's always a simple matter to drag the people along whether it's a democracy, a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism, and exposing the country to greater danger.

--Herman Goering at the Nuremberg trials
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ginnyinWI Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jul-30-05 04:42 PM
Response to Original message
21. They have to clean up their image before the 2006 elections. n/t
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gulliver Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jul-30-05 06:26 PM
Response to Original message
22. Plame? Maybe they don't want to be "at war" ...
Edited on Sat Jul-30-05 06:28 PM by gulliver
... when the indictments for divulging state secrets come out.

On edit: But I think your reason is more likely. They don't want the Iraq war to hurt their standing on terrorism.
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