War on Terror...

Okay, before I continue with this post, let me make it quite clear that I am a registered Republican. I am fairly conservative and, in general, support the President in his endeavors.

That being said.... I feel like it needs to be stated that, at least in my view:

You can't wage war on terror. Terror is a concept. It is a tactic. It is never going away. I don't know if the people who advocate it just don't grasp this or if they have ulterior motives. Politically, it is nice to be able to stir up fear about an "enemy" that doesn't really exist except in the abstract and denigrate those who criticize the effort (or you or your tactics) as supporters of the enemy.

I guess it makes it easy to downplay other failings or problems you have. It is a convenient excuse to remove protections, short-circuit procedures, and institute controls. And military tactics allow a lot more collateral damage than law enforcement. Police can't bomb a neighborhood and kill innocent men, women, and children with incendiary weapons to get drug dealers. Sobering thought about where the "War on Drugs" could go. Which drug-producing country might we invade to put an end to that abstract enemy?

You see, unfortunately, I really am not sure that 9/11 changed anything. I think the threat before and after was the same. The same folks hate us and they use the same tactics which are convenient to their resources and numbers. Once, they pulled off a really elaborate plan. It is sobering, but it doesn't change anything. I am not against an extra effort being used for our country's protection, don't get me wrong, but I am not sure what is needed to combat terrorism (or, more specifically, terrorists) except perhaps in terms of streamlining communication between law enforcement and intelligence agencies and maybe shifting of government priorities a bit. Sweeping new law enforcement powers? Suspension of civil liberties? New categories for prisoners? Why? Nothings changed. It is like a man who lost someone to a car accident demanding draconian new laws on drivers. It is an overreaction and unwarranted. The threat isn't more or less than it was before, he just is more aware of it because it affected him personally. I know that it can be argued that there hasn't been a major successful terrorist attack on U.S. soil since 9/11, so that we must be doing something right.... but is that because of us or is it a function of "them?" Can it be that the "enemy" is so damned incompetent that we look like we are successful in holding them off when they are simply too idiotic to hit us again? Thank God that they are so damned obsessed with attacking us with planes, that is all I have to say.

Please understand, I am not necessarily against the government listening in on my phone calls or reading my mail, as I have absolutely nothing to hide... and quite honestly, I always just assumed that kind of practice was happening... I don't know, maybe I am just too cynical. who knows. But I can't help but think that "it is necessary to stop terrorists" (or, more accurately, "it is convenient to stop terrorists) is enough of an excuse for restricting freedom or setting morality aside or giving up principles. Any more than I would accept "it is necessary to stop murderers" as a rationale to start limiting civil liberties. Morals, principles, and ethics are inconvenient to those trying to get results. This is not a new fact and is exactly why we have principles and rights and procedures, because it sure is easier to catch drug dealers if we don't need warrants to tap phones or search people's property and can hold people indefinitely and use unethical tactics to get information out of them. How much easier is it to label them criminals and then deny them civil rights without needing to prove it first?

People ask about how torturing the "enemy" affects the person getting tortured, but what about the person doing the torturing? Are we, as a society in general, becoming so numb that people debate the use of torture as if it is only about what it does to the enemy... there is a debate about this?!?!? I feel that our own humanity is at stake.

Sure, it is only foreigners now and only "terrorists." Once we accept that, what's the next step? Which abstract concept gets a war next? How much are we willing to sacrifice to irrational fear? Our boys and girls are dying out there in the middle east... and for what? are we accomplishing anything? I mean really accomplishing something? food for thought...