Will Democrats need to continue to support "war on terror"...?

[kentuck]

If Democrats win back the majority, will they have to support the "war on terror" in some form or other, at least in principle? Would it not be short-sighted to do otherwise? What if we minimized the war on terror and there was an attack while the Democrats were in charge? Would that put the Repubs back in charge? Is that anything we should be concerned about? Could we not do just like the Repubs do and blame it on George W Bush? Or do we need to make a complete break with the present "war on terror" strategy?

[Ian David]

1. Of course there will be an attack. The Republickers say it's inevitable.

Besides...

We all know what happens when Democrats are in power.

Republickers bomb their own citizens:

Oklahoma City


Centennial Olympic Park

[emanymton]

2. Marketing Campaigns Have A Way Of Never Dying Out, ...

the worse the campaign the longer it lingers. The failed America hating RW marketing "War On Terror" campaign will eventually become like the "War On Poverty."

[derby378]

3. WHAT "war on terror?"

There isn't one. Any war of terror America might have waged ended the moment Bush took the military off the job of catching bin Laden.

[Bill McBlueState]

4. they probably don't "have to"

But it would take a hell of a lot of political courage to, say, rename Homeland Security to something that doesn't evoke the Third Reich. I'm not sure how many Democrats have that kind of courage.

That's what worries me -- for all the criticism of Bush, I fear we'll be stuck with a lot of his decisions for a very long time.

[liberal N proud]

5. Since it is a war contrived by the Republicans just like the war on drugs

the Democrats could do the right thing and end the lunacy of this bull shit and maybe we can get on an airplane without stripping down to nothing.

[karynnj]

6. The need to guard against terrorist will still be there

President Bush lied in conflating Iraq and "a war on terror". Although as many have noted you can't have a war on an emotion, there is a need for the world's civilizations to work together to counter the networks of people who seek to destroy civilization. The root of the problem is that these networks are globalized, so cooperation is needed to defeat them. (Kerry's book "New War" was great in laying this out.

Kerry's plan in 2004 - which George Will conceded was right is described here. (the transcript is linked there as well.)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A48716-2004Sep24.html

This would NOT be a weaker position, but a smarter one.

[robcon]

7. The war on terror has to be fought. In campaigns, and in reality.

Anything less means electoral disaster, IMO.

[theophilus]

9. Yeah, you're right. But.....let's fight it in such a way that we are

actually reducing terror and making ourselves safe. That would be a one-eighty from the dangerous sham that is ongoing right now.

Let's try some stuff called diplomacy. Ok? How about changing some of our horrible, greedy policies that are destroying the planet? Ok? How about trying to actually treat other people the way WE want to be treated? That might get some attention. How about helping other people to make friends instead of bombing other people to make enemies who will perpetuate this hateful War On Terror?

Wow. It might just work.

[Toots]

8. So are you insinuating that "War on Terror" is somehow keeping us safe?

Are you in agreement that fighting over there will keep us from fighting over here? If we invest that $185,000.00 per MINUTE that we are spending on Iraq alone into establishing safeguards here in America we would be much safer. Protect our ports and our water sources and our nuclear plants and our chemical plants and America without killing women and children in Arab lands...

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

10. As long as the "defense industry" keeps paying them to.

[porphyrian]

11. No. We need to bring those responsible to justice.

We could have bin Laden in less than a year if we really wanted him. Capture, trial and punishment (assuming he's convicted). He and his organization are criminal and should be treated as such.

If anything, we need to stop the misuse of the word "war." If we need to exaggerate something to that extent in order to get public support, it isn't something we should be wasting our time on in the first place.

Justice. That's what we need.

[dogday]

12. War on Terror Definition

Carte blanche invitation to invade any country we want....

[Raffi Ella]

13. ...

We were hit by terrorists before 9/11 and we will be hit again,it's inevitable.The way we handled it right after 9/11 going into Afghanistan and after Bin Laden was the right thing to do.Starting a War in Iraq/The Middle East was not.
I hope when Dems take back the House and Senate we can work with Republicans to bring our troops home in a sane and safe way for both our soldiers and the Iraqi people;We invaded-right or wrong-and we have an obligation to stay until there is some form of control and civility.

That doesn't mean forever though.Iraqis HAVE to take the reigns sooner rather than later.

I do believe Dems need to make a complete and total break with the strategy now in place by this inept pResident.
There is a real and present danger of being attacked by terrorist but I do not believe making it the sole focus of our nation is beneficial to anyone.
The Government needs to put into place the measures the 9/11 commisioners suggested-take the precautions neccessary to protect this country.It should be handled as a police/CIA/Government matter-in other words;They should do their jobs.

But the problem with this is the national mindset on this so called War on Terror is going to be very hard to change.
Dems won't be able to do it over night.It's going to take de-programming the public from the "You're either with us or Against Us!/WAR" mindset this pResident has put into play.

Man,I just realized again how different this country is now because of 9/11 and because of the way Bush handled it...
We use to be the Home of the Brave and Land of the Free and now we are Home of the Fearful and Land of the Cowed while our men and women are dying in Iraq...and for WHAT!??It's so so so sad.