rssIs It Just Me Or Are the Obama People Not Using the ‘War on Terror’ Phrase Anymore?
Thursday, January 15, 2009 at 3:12 pm
- 3 Comments
Kate’s last post about Eric Holder brings up something that struck me kind of funny, as Bruce Springsteen would say.
Notwithstanding Holder’s language about whether we’ve been at war since before 9/11, Kate tells me she hasn’t heard Holder use the phrase “war on terror” or “war on terrorism” in his hearing. Neither did Hillary Rodham Clinton on Tuesday. And neither did Pentagon picks Bill Lynn, Robert Hale, Michele Flournoy and Jeh Johnson this morning. I admit I didn’t catch Homeland Security Secretary-nominee Janet Napolitano’s hearing today, but this is starting to sound like a trend.
If so, is it a decision coming down from President-elect Barack Obama? Or am I misinterpreting this? I have a line out to the transition to see.
Update: It looks like it’s just me. Ben Smith reported on January 9 — Panetta-rollout-day — that CIA Director-designate Leon Panetta used the term in his prepared statement. Is he the outlier? Ok, ok, I’ll stop.
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3 Comments
Comment posted January 15, 2009 @ 3:13 pm
Hopefully, you're right, Spencer. Here's wishing the Obama Administration understands that the “war on terror” label has been coopted to apply to every opposition group faced by every tin-horn dictator in the world and come up with a more accurate paradigm.
Comment posted January 16, 2009 @ 6:54 am
Spencer – did you see the Milliband piece in the Guardian on the “WOT”
Comment posted January 16, 2009 @ 2:54 pm
Spencer – did you see the Milliband piece in the Guardian on the “WOT”
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