NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Criticisms of the War on Terrorism

Criticisms of the War on Terrorism addresses the issues, morals, ethics, efficiency, and other questions surrounding the "War on Terrorism". Arguments are also made against the phrase itself, calling it a misnomer. The War on Terrorism or War on Terror (also the Global War on Terrorism or GWOT[1]) is a campaign by the United States, supported by several NATO members and other allies, with the stated goal of ending international terrorism by stopping those groups identified as terrorist groups, and ending... Ethics (from Greek á¼¦Î¸Î¿Ï‚ meaning custom) is the branch of axiology, one of the four major branches of philosophy, which attempts to understand the nature of morality; to distinguish that which is right from that which is wrong. ... Look up Misnomer in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

On September 14, 2001, when the United States House of Representatives voted on a bill authorizing the president of the United States to use military force against those involved in the September 11, 2001 attack, there was only one dissenting vote. Aspects of "War on Terrorism" aroused much opposition in U.S. and worldwide. September 14 is the 257th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (258th in leap years). ... Seal of the House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is, along with the United States Senate, one of the two houses of the Congress of the United States. ... The World Trade Center on fire The September 11, 2001 attacks were a series of coordinated terrorist attacks against the United States on September 11, 2001. ...

Methods

Many people contend that a "war" against terrorism is plainly wrong since terrorist attacks are considered criminal acts like murder and therefore should be investigated by the police with the perpetrators brought to justice and given a fair trial in a court of law. The use of the military often escalates violence by killing civilians and potentially creating more terrorists out of bereaved individuals seeking revenge. Terrorism refers to a strategy of using violence, social threats, or coordinated attacks, in order to generate fear, cause disruption, and ultimately, bring about compliance with specified political, religious, or ideological demands. ... for other uses please see Crime (disambiguation) A crime is an act that violates a political or moral law. ... Revenge or vengeance consists of retaliation against a person or group in response to perceived wrongdoing. ...

Many people believe that the interrogation methods employed by the U.S. forces violate international Geneva Conventions in places such as Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and Abu Ghraib, Iraq. These people believe that if the U.S. forces act immorally or unethically then they are no better people than the "insurgents" they are trying to find. Development of the Geneva Conventions from 1864 to 1949 The Geneva Conventions consist of four treaties formulated in Geneva, Switzerland, that set the standards for international law for humanitarian concerns. ... For the body of water, see GuantÃ¡namo Bay, Cuba. ... Satar Jabar standing on a box with wires connected to his body Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse images Beginning in 2003, numerous accounts of abuse and torture of prisoners held in the Abu Ghraib Prison in Iraq (also known as Baghdad Correctional Facility) occurred. ... An insurgency is an armed revolt or insurrection against an established civil or political authority, such as a constituted government or an occupation by an invading force. ...

Another criticism is that the "war on terrorism" is effectively an act of terrorism in itself. Critics point to incidents such as the Bagram torture and prisoner abuse scandal, the Abu Ghraib torture and prisoner abuse scandal, the alleged use of chemical weapons against residents of Fallujah [1], and the use of military force to disperse anti-American demonstrations in Iraq [2][3]. In 2005, a 2,000-page U.S. Army report was obtained by the New York Times concerning the homicides of two unarmed civilian Afghan prisoners by U.S. armed forces in 2002 at the Bagram Collection Point. ... Satar Jabar standing on a box with wires connected to his body Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse images Beginning in 2003, numerous accounts of abuse and torture of prisoners held in the Abu Ghraib Prison in Iraq (also known as Baghdad Correctional Facility) occurred. ... Early detection of chemical agents Sociopolitical climate of chemical warfare While the study of chemicals and their military uses was widespread in China, the use of toxic materials has historically been viewed with mixed emotions and some disdain in the West (especially when the enemy were doing it). ... This article is about the city of Fallujah in Iraq. ...

Some Libertarians believe that a "war" against terrorism is wrong because it makes national security into such a high government priority, that any sacrifice of personal liberty and freedom is deemed necessary, no matter how large or small [4]. They believe this leads not only to an unjustified erosion of liberty, but also to a general climate of fear in which people become unwilling to exercise their civil liberties. They warn that this will lead to the public being enslaved under mass surveillance, as eventually everyone comes under the suspicion of being a potential terrorist. Libertarianism is a political philosophy[1] advocating that individuals should be free to do whatever they wish with their person or property, as long as they do not infringe on the same liberty of others. ... Security measures taken to protect the Houses of Parliament in London, England. ... The Statue of Liberty is a very popular icon of liberty. ... Political freedom is the right, or the capacity, of self-determination as an expression of the individual will. ... For other uses, see Fear (disambiguation). ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Slavery is the social and legal designation of specific persons as property, for the purpose of providing labor and services for the owner without the right of the slave to refuse, or gain compensation. ... Mass surveillance is the pervasive surveillance of an entire population, or a substantial fraction thereof. ...

Critics also claim that a strategy of tension was employed prior to the Iraq War, which is now being repeated against countries described as the "axis of evil", such as Iran. The Strategy of Tension (Italian; strategia della tensione) is a way to control and manipulate public opinion using propaganda, disinformation, psychological warfare, agents provocateurs and terror. ... It has been suggested that 2003 invasion of Iraq be merged into this article or section. ... World map indicating the countries of the axis of evil. The term â€œaxis of evilâ€ was used by United States President George W. Bush in his State of the Union Address on January 29, 2002 to describe regimes that sponsor terror. Bush named Iraq, Iran, and North Korea in his...

"War On Terrorism" Seen As Pretext

Some have argued that the "war on terrorism" has nothing to do with its stated purpose. They point out that Iraq had nothing to do with the September 11 attacks and that the invasion of Iraq was carried out for imperialistic economic reasons."[5] Among these reasons are the profits made through the privatization of the Iraqi economy, handed over to the control of companies like Dick Cheney's former employer, Halliburton (of which Cheney owns an estimated $8 million in stock)."[6] Certain companies make massive profits off of arms production as well, and this is seen as another of the real motives for the "war on terrorism".[7] Richard Bruce Dick Cheney (born January 30, 1941) is the 46th Vice President of the United States, serving under the President George W. Bush. ... This article needs to be updated. ...

Terminology

Jason Burke, an expert in radical Islamic activity, has this to say on the terms "terrorism" and "war against terrorism":

Civilian deaths

Civilian deaths caused by United States and Coalition military action have been criticized.

Estimates of civilian deaths vary greatly. Within Iraq, these estimates are between 3,853 to 100,000. The United States Department of Defense does not record the deaths of non-Coalition persons, a so-called "body count."⁸ Estimates prominently cited have come from IraqBodyCount.net, a database of deaths reported on the mass media; the Iraqi Ministry of Health; and the independent United States report "Mortality before and after the 2003 invasion of Iraq" in The Lancet. The United States Department of Defense, abbreviated as DoD or DOD and sometimes called the Defense Department, is a civilian Cabinet organization of the United States government. ... Body Count is a heavy metal/rap metal/thrash metal band headed by rapper Ice-T, formed in 1990 and based in Los Angeles. ... The Iraq Body Count project is an ongoing effort to record those civilian casualties (including journalists) of the 2003 Iraq war attributable to the invading armies. ... Mass media is a term used to denote, as a class, that section of the media specifically conceived and designed to reach a very large audience (typically at least as large as the whole population of a nation state). ... The Lancet is one of the oldest and most respected peer-reviewed medical journals in the world, published weekly by Elsevier, part of Reed Elsevier. ...

Iraq Body Count has estimated civilian deaths reported by the mass media to be between 16,000 to 18,000, including deaths caused by insurgents and inadequate health care.¹¹ The report published in The Lancet, "Mortality before and after the 2003 invasion of Iraq", cited 100,000 (8,000 to 194,000 at a 95% confidence interval) civilian deaths as attributed to the invasion from a statistical survey.¹² This was rejected by United Kingdom Foreign Minister Jack Straw as inaccurate. He gave instead figures from the Iraqi Ministry of Health, which were 3,853 dead since the invasion to that time.¹³ John Whitaker Jack Straw M.P. (born August 3, 1946, Buckhurst Hill) is a British Labour Party politician. ...

In any estimate, non-Coalition civilian deaths exceed those of the United States in the attacks of 11 September 2001 from which the "war on terrorism" began. This has been the subject of criticism such as "it appears that American life is held above all others."⁹ The Women of Color Resource Center opposed the "War on Terrorism," arguing that United States military tactics focus on minimizing U.S. casualties at the cost of civilian casualties as "collateral damage".¹⁰ September 11 is the 254th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (255th in leap years). ... 2001: A Space Odyssey. ... Collateral damage refers to unintended damage amidst intended damage. ...

United States General Tommy Franks, commander of the U.S. Central Command, gave an estimate of 30,000 deaths among Iraqi soldiers during the invasion.⁵ General Tommy R. Franks (USCENTCOM photo) Tommy Ray Franks (born June 17, 1945) is a retired General in the United States Army, previously serving as the Commander-in-Chief of United States Central Command, overseeing United States Armed Forces operations in a 25-country region, including the Middle East. ... Emblem of the United States Central Command. ...

Perpetual war

See also: U.S. invasion of Afghanistan, 2003 invasion of Iraq and 2003-2005 occupation of Iraq Combatants al-Qaeda, Taliban Northern Alliance, United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, France, New Zealand, Italy, Germany Commanders Mohammed Omar Osama bin Laden Tommy Franks Mohammed Fahim Strength Casualties {{{notes}}} The United States invasion of Afghanistan occurred in October 2001, in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks on... Combatants Coalition Forces (United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Poland) Iraq Commanders Tommy Franks Saddam Hussein Strength 263,000 375,000 The 2003 invasion of Iraq, termed Operation Iraqi Freedom by the US administration, began on March 20. ... Occupation zones in Iraq as of September 2003 The post-invasion period in Iraq followed the 2003 invasion of Iraq by a multinational coalition led by the United States, which overthrew the Baath Party government of Saddam Hussein. ...

U.S. President George W. Bush articulated the goals of the "war on terrorism" in a September 20, 2001 speech, in which he said it "will not end until every terrorist group of global reach has been found, stopped and defeated."² To critics, such goals create a state of perpetual war. They have argued that terrorism is itself only a tactic which can never be defeated.⁶ It is further disputed that the "War on Terrorism" qualifies as a war as there is no party whose defeat can bring victory. Motto: (traditional) In God We Trust (official, 1956â€“present) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City Official language(s) None at the federal level; English de facto Government Federal Republic - President George W. Bush (R) - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence - Declared - Recognized... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the 43rd and current President of the United States and a former governor of Texas. ... September 20 is the 263rd day of the year (264th in leap years). ... 2001: A Space Odyssey. ... Terrorism refers to a strategy of using violence, social threats, or coordinated attacks, in order to generate fear, cause disruption, and ultimately, bring about compliance with specified political, religious, or ideological demands. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The United States detonated an atomic bomb over Nagasaki on August 9, 1945, effectively ending World War II. The bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima (on August 6) immediately killed between 100,000 and 200,000 people and are the only known instances nuclear weapons have ever been used in war. ...

The Bush administration has given various answers concerning what would constitute victory. In a news conference on September 20, 2001, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said, "I say that victory is persuading the American people and the rest of the world that this is not a quick matter that's going to be over in a month or a year or even five years. It is something that we need to do so that we can continue to live in a world with powerful weapons and with people who are willing to use those powerful weapons. And we can do that as a country. And that would be a victory, in my view". Donald Henry Rumsfeld (born July 9, 1932) is currently serving as the 21st United States Secretary of Defense, since January 20, 2001, under President George W. Bush. ...

Jacob Levenson wrote, "Three years after the United States attacked Afghanistan, it is extremely difficult for the press to gauge where the United States stands in the war on terror because the term itself obscures distinction".¹⁴

Pre-emptive war

See also: Opposition to the Iraq War This article is about opposition to the 2003 invasion of Iraq and the Iraq War from outside Iraq. ...

The justification given for the invasion of Iraq (prior to its happening) was to prevent terrorist or other attacks by Iraq on the United States or other nations. This can be viewed as a conventional warfare realisation of the war on terror. Conventional warfare means a form of warfare conducted by using conventional military weapons and battlefield tactics between two or more nation-states in open confrontation. ...

A major criticism levelled at this is that it does not fulfil one of the requirements of a just war, and that in waging a war pre-emptively, the United States has undermined international law and the authority of the United Nations, particularly the United Nations Security Council. On this ground it has been advocated that by invading a country that does not pose an acute threat and without UN support, the US has violated international law and might have committed a war crime. Just War theory is an international law doctrine that postulates that a war can be just only if it satisfies a set of moral or legal rules. ... This article or section is missing references or citation of sources. ... United Nations - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is the organ of the United Nations charged with maintaining peace and security among nations. ... In the context of war, a war crime is a punishable offense under International_Law, for violations of the laws of war by any person or persons, military or civilian. ...

Another criticism that has been raised is that the United States has set a precedent, under the premises of which any nation could justify the invasion of other states.

Twisted legalisms with its own laws and flat defiance of international laws

Opponents feel the Bush administration is creative in suggesting legal loopholes and exception laws. However, most Human Rights organisations and even allies to the US think there are breaches of international and US law. They point to the use of enemy combatant status, extraordinary rendition, widespread use of prisoner abuse which to observers outside the Bush administration constitutes torture. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Unlawful combatant. ... Extraordinary rendition is an American extra-judicial procedure which involves the sending of untried criminal suspects, generally suspected terrorists or alleged supporters of groups which the US Government considers to be terrorist organizations, to countries other than the United States for imprisonment and interrogation[1]. According to Swiss councillor Dick...

The status "enemy combatant" comes out of an argument from the Bush administration that the Taliban regime created a "failed state", thus they had no right to a legitimate military of uniformed soldiers and officers under the Geneva Convention. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Unlawful combatant. ... The Geneva Conventions consist of treaties formulated in Geneva, Switzerland that set the standards for international law for humanitarian concerns. ...

It is suggested that any enemy soldier may be called an "enemy combatant." By extension, any Iraqi may be considered an "unlawful combatant," provided that they not fall under the protections of the Third Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War, and by extreme extension, any (non)-American national can be thought of as the same, assuming the same provisions. The Bush administration's position is that unlawful combatants have no rights under the Geneva Convention and therefore can be sent anywhere without trial or charges. However, this claim is widely disputed by legal experts. For details on the subject see unlawful combatant. More specific is the case of Maher Arar [8], a Canadian citizen who is of Syrian birth. During a flight transfer in New York, he was approached by authorities and eventually sent to a Syrian prison for 374 days without charges. Under International Law, Arar would have been exiled to Canada. Some feel that the U.S. uses questionable legalisms to deport suspects; American birth is the only defense against forced exile. American national birth should not protect American-born terrorists or fail to protect naturalized citizens, yet it does both. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Unlawful combatant. ... Wikisource has original text related to this article: Third Geneva Convention The Third Geneva Convention (or GCIII) primarily regarded the treatment of prisoners of war (POWs), and also touched on other topics. ... The Geneva Conventions consist of treaties formulated in Geneva, Switzerland that set the standards for international law for humanitarian concerns. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Maher Arar (born 1970) is a Canadian software engineer born in Syria. ...

Whatever the legal justification of the Bush administration, commentators note that command responsibility is a well established doctrine, making those responsible for these policies, liable for prosecution. Peace Palace in The Hague Command responsibility, sometimes referred to as the Yamashita standard, or the Medina standard is the doctrine of hierarchical accountability in cases of war crimes. ...

Unilateralism

"You're either with us or against us in the fight against terror," a remark by U.S. President Bush in November 2001,¹⁵ has been a source of criticism. Thomas A. Keaney of Johns Hopkins University's Foreign Policy Institute said "it made diplomacy with a number of different countries far more difficult because obviously there are different problems throughout the world."¹⁶ 2001 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and also: The International Year of the Volunteer The United Nations Year of Dialogue Among Civilizations Events January January 1 - A black monolith measuring approximately nine feet tall appears in Seattles Magnuson Park, placed by an anonymous...

America has a network of secret jails for terror suspects [9], Abu Ghraib is but one example. Many of the countries those jails are in would consider the existence of secret torture jails in their territory without their knowledge as an act of war if a lesser nation would have done it.

Independent journals in Iraq were repeatedly bombed to the ground in several locations (amid claims of mistaking them for Al-Quaida buildings), yet a memo about the planned bombing of the very same al-Jazeera TV headquarters without notifying first the peaceful allied nation of Qatar (where al-Jazeera resides) surfaced and embarrassed the Bush administration. [10]

This suggests the rights of other nations are to be rearranged retroactively by loopholes and exceptions to fit the needs of the "war on terror" being waged in part by misleading allies, rather than negotiating first with allies which has been the reaction of any smaller democracy fighting terrorism.

Aiding terrorism

British Liberal Democrat politician Shirley Williams writes that the American and United Kingdom governments "must stop to think whether it is sowing the kind of resentment which is the seedbed of future terrorism."¹⁸ The United Kingdom ambassador to Italy, Ivor Roberts, said that U.S. President Bush is "the best recruiting sergeant ever for al Qaeda."¹⁹ The United States granted "protected persons" status under the Geneva Convention to the Mojahedin-e-Khalq, an Iranian group classified by the U.S. Department of State as a terrorist organization, sparking criticism.¹⁷ The Liberal Democrats, often shortened to Lib Dems, are a liberal political party based in the United Kingdom. ... The Baroness Williams of Crosby Shirley Williams, Baroness Williams of Crosby, PC (born July 27, 1930), is a British politician. ... An ambassador, rarely embassador, is a diplomatic official accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization, to serve as the official representative of his or her own country. ... Sir Ivor Roberts (born 1946) is the British ambassador to Italy. ... MKO Logo The Mojahedin-e-Khalq is also known as the Mujahedin-e-Khalq (MEK), the Mujahideen al-Khalq, the Mujahideen al-Khalq Organization (MKO), or The Peoples Mujahedin of Iran (PMOI). ... The United States Department of State, often referred to as the State Department, is the Cabinet-level foreign affairs agency of the United States government, equivalent to foreign ministries in other countries. ...

Political

The leadership of the German Green Party, a party historically known for its pacifist principles, supported the "War on Terrorism" but condemned the use of cluster bombs. This support led to an internal division within the party and a confidence vote called by German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, in which he retained the support of enough Greens to stay on. Bündnis 90/Die Grünen (literally: Alliance 90/The Greens), the German Green Party, is a political party in Germany whose regional predecessors were founded in the late 1970s as part of the new social movements. ... Pacifism is the opposition to war or violence as a means of settling disputes. ... Cluster bomb exploding A cluster bomb is an air-dropped bomb that ejects multiple small submunitions (bomblets). ... Gerhard Fritz Kurt SchrÃ¶der [] (born April 7, 1944), German politician, was Chancellor of Germany from 1998 to 2005. ...

Another aspect of political resistance to the war on terror is a critique of legalistic approaches. Some argue that legal approaches don't confront the war on terror head on because such approaches only ask whether the president's actions are lawful, not whether the president's are politically justified. These critics argue that instead of focusing on the constitutionality of actions, we should reject the idea that we are at war and reject the idea that there is a national emergency.

Pax Americana

One analysis is that the United States intends "to establish a new political framework within which [it] will exert hegemonic control" (World Socialist Web Site Editorial Board). Many people say the United States seeks to do this by controlling access to oil or oil pipelines. U.S. Marines on foot patrol in Port-au-Prince Haiti (2004) The term Pax Americana (Latin: American Peace) denotes the period of relative peace in the Western world since the end of World War II in 1945, coinciding with the dominant military and economic position of the United States. ... Hegemony (pronounced or ) (greek:Î·Î³ÎµÎ¼Î¿Î½Î¯Î±) is the dominance of one group over other groups, with or without the threat of force, to the extent that, for instance, the dominant party can dictate the terms of trade to its advantage; more broadly, cultural perspectives become skewed to favor the dominant group. ... Pumpjack pumping an oil well near Sarnia, Ontario Petroleum (from Greek petra â€“ rock and elaion â€“ oil or Latin oleum â€“ oil ) or crude oil is a thick, dark brown or greenish liquid. ...

This view is shared by a broad variety of ideological streams, including social democrats (e.g. Michael Meacher: "The global war on terrorism has the hallmarks of a political myth propagated to pave the way for a wholly different agenda -- the U.S. goal of world hegemony, built around securing by force command over the oil supplies required to drive the whole project"); anarchists, Greens (e.g. George Monbiot); and Marxists. In addition, many people on this side of the political spectrum opine that the war is being fought to benefit domestic political allies of the Bush administration, especially arms manufacturers. (See Military-industrial complex.) The Right Honourable Michael Hugh Meacher (born November 4, 1939) is a British politician, member of Parliament for Oldham. ... George Monbiot. ... The term military-industrial complex (MIC) usually refers to the combination of the U.S. armed forces, arms industry and associated political and commercial interests, which grew rapidly in scale and influence in the wake of World War II. The term may also be used for militarism, in reference to...

Proponents of the hegemony hypothesis point out that achieving such a situation is the stated aim of the Project for the New American Century, a conservative think tank that includes many prominent members of the Republican Party and Bush administration among its present and former members. It is even arguable that this attitude was what led to the rise in Middle Eastern hostility in the first place. The Project for the New American Century, or PNAC, is a Washington, DC, USA based think tank. ...

Domestic civil liberties

It is alleged that civil liberties in coalition countries have suffered or will suffer. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with multinational force in Iraq. ...

Within the United States, critics argue that the Bush Administration and lower governments have restricted civil liberties and created a "culture of fear". Bush introduced the USA PATRIOT Act legislation to the United States Congress shortly after the 11 September 2001 attacks, which significantly expanded U.S. law enforcement's power. It has been criticized as being too broad and having been abused for purposes unrelated to counter-terrorism. Bush had also proposed Total Information Awareness, a federal program to collect and process massive amounts of data to identify behaviors consistent with terrorist threats. It was heavily criticized as being an "Orwellian" case of mass surveillance. George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the 43rd and current President of the United States and a former governor of Texas. ... Culture of fear is a term proposed in a variety of sociological theses, which argue that feelings of fear and anxiety predominate in contemporary public discourse and relationships, changing how we relate to one another as individuals and as democratic agents. ... President George W. Bush signing the USA PATRIOT ACT in the White Houses East Room on October 26, 2001. ... Seal of the Congress. ... September 11 is the 254th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (255th in leap years). ... 2001: A Space Odyssey. ... For the band, see The Police. ... The Information Awareness Office (IAO) was established by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the research and development agency of the United States Department of Defense, in January 2002 to bring together several DARPA projects focused on applying information technology to counter transnational threats to national security. ... Orwellian describes a situation, idea, or condition that George Orwell identified as being inimical to the welfare of a free-society. ... Mass surveillance is the pervasive surveillance of an entire population, or a substantial fraction thereof. ...

Many opponents focus on the domestic aspects, complaining that the government is systematically removing civil liberties from the population or engaging in racial profiling. They also allege that this approach contributes to whipping up public hostility to dissenting voices by encouraging the accusation of them as being unpatriotic or even treasonous for simply disagreeing with the administration. Some, such as Giorgio Agamben, criticize a "generalised state of exception", which could be followed by a more or less deliberate strategy of tension (using false flags terrorist attacks and other ruses of war tactics). Race in the profile of a persons considered likely to commit a particular crime or type of crime (see Offender Profiling). ... Giorgio Agamben (1942 â€“) is an Italian philosopher who teaches at the University of Verona. ... A state of emergency is a governmental declaration that may suspend certain normal functions of government, may work to alert citizens to alter their normal behaviors, or may order government agencies to implement emergency preparedness plans. ... The Strategy of Tension (Italian; strategia della tensione) is a way to control and manipulate public opinion using propaganda, disinformation, psychological warfare, agents provocateurs and terror. ... False flag operations are covert operations conducted by governments, corporations, or other organizations, which are designed to appear as if they are being carried out by other entities. ...

Controversy arose within the United States over remarks made by the producer of a television documentary titled Hitler: The Rise of Evil. Ed Gernon told the New York Post in April 2003 that a perceived mood of fear in the United States resembled, in his opinion, that of Germany before the rise of Adolf Hitler. Gernon was fired by CBS network as a result. ¹ A Television producer oversees the making of television penis programs. ... 2003 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December - â†’ A timeline of events in the news for April 2003. ... Hitler redirects here. ... CBS (formerly an acronym for Columbia Broadcasting System, the former legal name of the network) is one of the largest television networks, and formerly one of the largest radio networks, in the United States. ...

There have been various films made stating political views. Documentary filmmaker Michael Moore directed a film critical of the "war on terror" and George W. Bush, Fahrenheit 9/11 . It was released in June 2004, during the U.S. presidential election. This was countered with several articles attacking the movie's alleged inconsistencies as well as a documentary called Fahrenhype 9/11. Michael Moore (born April 23, 1954 Flint, Michigan) is an American film director, author, and social commentator. ... Fahrenheit 9/11 is an award-winning documentary film by American filmmaker and anti-war activist Michael Moore, which had a general release in the United States and Canada on June 25, 2004 in the run up to that years presidential election. ... 2004 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December See also: June 2004 in sports Deaths in June â€¢ 28 Anthony Buckeridge â€¢ 26 Naomi Shemer â€¢ 26 Yash Johar â€¢ 22 Bob Bemer â€¢ 22 Thomas Gold â€¢ 22 Francisco Ortiz Franco â€¢ 16 Thanom Kittikachorn â€¢ 10 Ray Charles â€¢ 5 Ronald Reagan... Presidential election results map. ... Poster of Fahrenhype 9/11 FahrenHYPE 9/11 is a straight-to-DVD movie which examines and challenges Michael Moores documentary, Fahrenheit 9/11. ...

The controversy has, to a certain degree, died since the election, since the Republicans will hold their majority seating in Congress (unless any standing politicians change their political affiliations) until the next election.

Religious hypocrisy

Some have referred to the war as a Christian crusade versus an Islamic jihad, even though both Jesus and Muhammad preached peace, nonviolence and nonresistance: Christianity is a monotheistic[1] religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recounted in the Gospels. ... This article is about the medieval crusades. ... For other uses, including people named Islam, see Islam (disambiguation). ... Jihad, sometimes spelled Jahad, Jehad Jihaad or Djehad, (Arabic: â€Ž ) is an Islamic term, from the Arabic root (to exert utmost effort, to strive, struggle), which connotes a wide range of meanings: anything from an inward spiritual struggle to attain perfect faith to a political or military struggle to further the... Jesus (8-2 BC/BCE â€” 29-36 AD/CE),[1] also known as Jesus of Nazareth, is the central figure of Christianity. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Widely-recognized peace symbol Peace is commonly understood to mean the Other definitions include freedom from disputes, harmonious relations and the absence of mental stress or anxiety, as the meaning of the word changes with context. ... Nonviolence (or non-violence) is a set of assumptions about morality conflict that leads its proponents to reject the use of violence in efforts to attain social or political goals. ... Nonresistance (or non-resistance) discourages physical resistance to an enemy and is a subdivision of nonviolence. ...

Alexander Claud Cockburn (pronounced , co-burn), born June 6, 1941, is a progressive Irish journalist who has lived and worked in the United States since 1973. ... Tenth Crusade is a term sometimes used by those opposed to the US-led occupations of Afghanistan and Iraq that followed the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States of America. ...

Misleading information

Some critics argue that some politicians supporting the "war on terror" are motivated by reasons other than those they publicly state, and critics accuse those politicians of cynically misleading the public to achieve their own ends.

For instance, in the months leading up to the invasion of Iraq, President Bush and members of his administration suggested that links existed between Saddam Hussein and al-Qaeda. Published reports of the links began in late December, 1998. In January, 1999, Newsweek magazine published a story about Saddam and al-Qaeda joining forces to attack U.S. interests in the Gulf Region. ABC News broadcast a story of the link between the two soon after. ABC News video report Polls suggest that a majority of Americans believe that Saddam Hussein was linked to the attacks of September 11, 2001. Although it has been the position of the Bush Administration an investigation by the 9/11 Commission found no credible evidence that Saddam Hussein helped al-Qaeda with the 9/11 attacks. In the lead up to the Iraq War, U.S. president George W. Bush alleged that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and al-Qaeda might work together to conspire to launch terrorist attacks on the United States[3], basing the administrations rationale for war, in part, on this allegation and... The explosion resulting from the crashing of United Airlines Flight 175 into the South Tower. ... The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, also known as the 9/11 Commission, was set up in late 2002 to prepare a full and complete account of the circumstances surrounding the September 11, 2001 attacks including preparedness for and the immediate response to the attacks. ...

Regardless of whether or not the Bush administration was deliberately misleading the people, wrong information was distributed. Perhaps the most infamous example is the now totally debunked theory that Saddam had weapons of mass destruction. Iraq and weapons of mass destruction concerns the Iraqi governments use, possession, and alleged intention of acquiring more types of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) during the presidency of Saddam Hussein. ...

Amnesty International Secretary General Irene Khan criticized the use of pro-humanitarian arguments by Coalition countries prior to its 2003 invasion of Iraq, writing in an open letter: "This selective attention to human rights is nothing but a cold and calculated manipulation of the work of human rights activists. Let us not forget that these same governments turned a blind eye to Amnesty International’s reports of widespread human rights violations in Iraq before the Gulf War."⁷ Amnesty International logo Amnesty International (commonly known as Amnesty or AI) is an international, non-governmental organization with the stated purpose of promoting all the human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international standards. ... Irene Zubaida Khan (born 1956 in Dhaka, Bangladesh) is the seventh and current Secretary General of human rights organization Amnesty International. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with multinational force in Iraq. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Combatants Coalition Forces (United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Poland) Iraq Commanders Tommy Franks Saddam Hussein Strength 263,000 375,000 The 2003 invasion of Iraq, termed Operation Iraqi Freedom by the US administration, began on March 20. ... Combatants U.S.-led coalition Iraq Commanders George H. W. Bush Norman Schwarzkopf Colin Powell Saddam Hussein Ali Hassan al-Majid Hussein Kamel Strength 660,000 545,000 Casualties 345 dead, 1,000 wounded 25,000 - 100,000 dead, 100,000 - 300,000 wounded The 1991 Gulf War (also called...

Essentialist Terrorism

Misleading information is not confined to politicians. A band of scholars affiliated with premier universities and think tanks has invented the concept of "the essentialist terrorist" who is addicted to violence. According to these scholars, the essentialist terrorist spills blood for the sake of spilling blood, is addicted to violence, and pursues killings to seek paradise. For such terrorists, these scholars further insist, political and geopolitical grievances are just pretexts for engaging in violence. For a critique of this view See L. Ali Khan.The Essentialist Terrorist

Nuclear proliferation

Oxford Research Group has predicted that the actions of the United States in the "war on terrorism" may lead to an increase in nuclear proliferation in terrorist groups arising from instability.³ It is also argued, by Ian Williams, that the status of the United States as an unmatched conventional military power will result in widespread nuclear proliferation among states which feel threatened by the U.S.⁴. The rationale for this development is, that until now, it never has happened that a nuclear-armed country was invaded by military means. World map with nuclear weapons development status represented by color. ... A conventional weapon is a weapon that does not incorporate chemical, biological or nuclear payloads. ...

The Bush administration itself advocated first strike with nuclear weapons against non-nuclear nations, in a reversal of all previous nuclear nonproliferation treaties and non-first-strike policies against either nuclear or non-nuclear nations. [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] Such nuclear use, threat, weapon program, or speculation by any other nation would immediately be called "Terroristic"; thus erasing the most important distinction between terrorism and the war on terror: that massive destruction of civilians cannot be done purely the carefully planned initiative of the "anti-terrorism" side. And yet at every opportunity Bush spoke about it, the purpose was for inflicting terror on the enemies of America.

Pejorative terms

Critics have replaced "war on terrorism" or related phrases with pejorative terms:

An ad hominem argument, also known as argumentum ad hominem (Latin, literally argument against the person) or attacking the messenger, involves replying to an argument or assertion by attacking the person presenting the argument or assertion rather than the argument itself. ... U.S. Marines on foot patrol in Port-au-Prince Haiti (2004) The term Pax Americana (Latin: American Peace) denotes the period of relative peace in the Western world since the end of World War II in 1945, coinciding with the dominant military and economic position of the United States. ... The Project for the New American Century (PNAC) is an American political think tank, based in Washington, DC. The controversial group was established in early 1997 as a non-profit organization with the goal of promoting American global leadership. ... Sexual slang is any slang term which makes reference to sex, the sexual organs, or matters closely related to them. ... War On Errorism is the ninth studio album by the punk rock band NOFX released on May 6, 2003. ... NOFX is a punk rock band from California, USA. They were formed in Berkeley in 1983 and relocated to Los Angeles shortly after by high school-aged Fat Mike (real name Mike Burkett), Erik Sandin and Eric Melvin and use a high amount of comedy in their songs. ...

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