Reply #1 from JoeUser Forums Top
I disagree but want to hear more from you.
Reply #2 from PolMach Forums Top

Unfortunately, we declare war on ideas rather than actual things or countries.  And it ranges from the war on obesity to the war on drugs to the war on terror.  None of these things are capable of losing because they're not tangible.  America created a trend a long time ago of battling ideologies rather than combatants.

So really, it's all a matter of semantics.  Most people know that there's no real way to declare war or defeat an idea.  It's all a matter of political language and using a particular societal prejudice to justify that language.

Galactic Civilizations IV
Reply #3 from JoeUser Forums Top
Let’s see, we can have the war on poor people instead of the war on poverty. Shoot them poor people and we won’t have any more of them.

The war on drugs is difficult because shooting people on drugs does not instill any motivation to get off of drugs. You’re already high as a kite so getting shot won’t matter much.

The war on terror is a little different, because we can see terrorists and hunt them down and kill them. To be a terrorist you have to commit an act of terror. Seeing Lindsey Lohan naked is a prime example.

Yes, I see what you mean but to not declare war on the idea means we don’t declare war on the idiots that create such pain in our lives.
Reply #4 from PolMach Forums Top

The thing is that killing a terrorist doesn't kill the idea.  If anything, it strengthens it and martyrs the deceased.  There's always five more terrorists waiting to be created after you kill the first one. So no.  Terrorism isn't a tangible thing because the people are dying for an idea.  And an idea takes a bit more subtlety than an automatic weapon and a grenade to destroy.


And besides.  A war on terror doesn't make any sense even semantically.  A better term would be war against terrorists.  But even then it would still be the attacking of believers.  It doesn't matter what it is they believe in.  The fact remains that they still believe in this idea that keeps them going and going like the Energizer Bunny... with homeade explosives... on crack.

And since we're attacking them on their home turf, they not only have the advantage of knowing the terrain, but feeling shoved into a corner.  And believe me, you DO NOT want to shove a religious fanatic into a corner.  I got a concussion that way.

Reply #5 from JoeUser Forums Top
The thing is that killing a terrorist doesn't kill the idea.


Sure it does. When it looked like they were winning they had people lined up to die for their cause. Now that they are losing on all fronts and the suicide bombings have dwindled down because they see that it does not work, while at the same time we are showing that nothing they do that is radical will help them.

Let me put it like this. If you are told that hitting yourself in the head with a hammer will reduce pollution. It sounds crazy but a bunch of people give it a try. You watch person after person do this and die for their cause. You see no result and your turn is coming, how long will you stand in line to do this? Maybe this is not such a good idea. You slide out of the line. The terrorist are doing the same thing the true believers don’t kill themselves they talk others into doing it. This means they have to make other plans and that is what they have been doing since they saw they were losing three years ago. Sure you have idiots that will follow any crackpot cause. Look at the people duped into believing global warming. How many have joined the ELF and burning buildings and cars? You will always have a small group of people that will never change those need to die. The rest will find other causes and fall away when the shine wears off the fad.

A better term would be war against terrorists.


True but it is longer so it was shortened.

The fact remains that they still believe in this idea that keeps them going and going like the Energizer Bunny... with homeade explosives... on crack.


That is funny I like that.  :LOL: 

And since we're attacking them on their home turf, they not only have the advantage of knowing the terrain, but feeling shoved into a corner.


How is it their home turf? The terrorist are coming from other countries not Iraq. Iran has invested half of their special operations division into Iraq just to give the impression that Iraqis are against us. The rest are idiots moving in from other countries.

And believe me, you DO NOT want to shove a religious fanatic into a corner. I got a concussion that way.


I did not have a problem doing that when I was doing counter terrorist operations in the 80’s. it was not until President Clinton disbanded our team did we start getting hit again. Before that we were attacking. The nuclear weapons that have been stopped from coming into the country would turn your hair white. What you don’t know would make you proud.