9/11 and Cheney’s Redundant War of Redundancy

“Their prevailing mindset, combined with a series of ill-considered actions in the House and Senate over the last several months causes me to wonder whether today’s Democratic leaders fully appreciate the nature of this danger that the country faces in the war on terror — a war that was declared against us by jihadists; a war in which the United States went on offense after 9/11; a war whose central front, in the opinion and actions of the enemy, is Iraq.”

It has become as predictable as it is frustrating, the Cheney mantra, “9/11. War. 9/11. War. 9/11. War.” Every time the motives of the war are called into question, Vice President Cheney pulls out the rhetoric linking 9/11, Al-Qaeda, and Iraq. No where has he, nor anyone else from this administration managed to link the events of September Eleventh, Two-thousand one to Iraq. Instead, we are simply reminded that we went to Iraq to find terrorists.

Wait, didn’t we go there to find “weapons of mass destruction?” I do recall that as our motivation for going, but since none were found it has been a top priority for the Presidential Propaganda Machine to tell us we really went to oust Saddam Hussein and hunt terrorists. I believe the President even at one point called Saddam, “the guy who tried to kill my dad,” in 2002.

Now, I could be wrong about this part too, but I don’t think insurgency counter-attacks count as terrorism. I do understand the grave situation facing our soldiers, the documenters of war (journalists), and the brave, brave US business representatives whose mouths are already watering trying to decide how to carve up the war torn country. I do understand that suicide bombs, car bombs, improvised explosive devices, and AK-47s are deadly and frightening weapons of war. This is why they are called weapons, and not terrorist tools. Mariam Webster defines terrorism as, “the systematic use of terror especially as a means of coercion.” I do not mean to trivialize something as grave as war, but this HAS to be said sooner or later.

Enemies in a war are not terrorists.

I cannot think of any quotes of FDR referring to the Japanese as terrorists despite their use of suicide attacks and semi-religiously driven call to war against the United States.

To continue linking terrorism and Al-Qaeda to the current war in Iraq serves to trivialize 9/11 and continue using it as a political lever. It is used repeatedly to coerce and pry lawmakers and citizens into believing false pretenses and illegitimate motivations for war. It is used to justify a mismanaged war and make those responsible for the mistakes less accountable. Terrorism is a global issue. It is not confined to the war we are fighting against Iraqi insurgents. This mantra of 9/11, Al-Qaeda, Iraq, War needs to end.

Speak up, and don’t accept Cheney’s mantra as an answer. Demand real answers. Demand more than real answers. Demand solutions.