Monday, March 30, 2009

By any other name...

Ah, it's so nice to not be engaged in a global war anymore. What? You mean you haven't heard? The Obama Administration has discontinued using the term: "Global War on Terror". It's over! It's VIF Day (Victory over Islamic Fascism)! I haven't seen a remake of that classic WWII poster with the sailor kissing the random woman on a NYC street yet, but I'm sure it'll show up on the front page of the NY Times any day now.

Lately, I've been doing a lot of "if you don't laugh, you'll cry"-thinking about the news and what Obama has been doing with respect to foreign policy (not to mention domestic). His dissing of PM Gordon Brown, his insult of the Afghani people where he said they weren't as educated as the Iraqis, North Korea about to launch a long-range missile that we can do nothing about, teetering on the edge of sending ground troops into Pakistan, etc. Scary stuff.

However, this change of terminology is kind of mindboggling. We have to remember: Osama Bin Laden and his ilk are still using the same word (Jihad) in their fight against us. Will our troops, who are still fighting day and night in far-off lands be inspired to continue the fight knowing they aren't fighting an actual WAR? Granted, they could care less what it's called as the bullets are zinging over their heads, but using Global War on Terror is important for out national psyche as well.

The Administration has started using Overseas Contingency Operation as its operating term. Wow. That inspires confidence doesn't it?

My sister is in the Navy and she's currently deployed overseas fighting the GWOT, er, I mean the OCO. I don't want people to forget her or what she's doing and I'm bothered by this change more than I can express. The American people are distracted by tough economic times here at home which is understandable, but there are thousands of men and women fighting for our freedoms overseas who need our support, thoughts and prayers.

Using the limp-wristed term "Overseas Contingency Operation" is designed, in my opinion, to appease the people who dislike us around the world and to ease the liberal, anti-military folks here at home. Words matter. Obama the great orator should know this. Now that I mention it, I'm sure he knows exactly what he's doing and it's shameful.

Terrorist don't mess around with labels to make their point. They use guns, bombs and death. They know they're still in a war. It seems like this administration didn't get the memo.