The Words Have Changed, but Have the Policies?

[bigtree]

By PETER BAKER
New York Times
Published: April 2, 2009


WASHINGTON — When President Obama briefed Congressional leaders at the White House last week on his plans to send more troops to Afghanistan, Senator Harry Reid offered some advice: Whatever you do, he told the president, don’t call it a “surge.”

Not to worry. Mr. Obama didn’t and wouldn’t. The exchange, confirmed by people briefed on the discussion, underscored the sensitivity about language in the new era. Mr. Obama and his team are busily scrubbing President George W. Bush’s national security lexicon, if not necessarily all of his policies.

They may be sending 21,000 more troops to Afghanistan, much as Mr. Bush did to Iraq, but it is not a “surge.” They may still be holding people captured on the battlefield at the prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, but they are no longer “enemy combatants.” They may be carrying the fight to Al Qaeda as their predecessors did, but they are no longer waging a “war on terror.”

So if not a war on terror, what then? “Overseas contingency operations.”


read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/03/us/politics/02web-baker.html?pagewanted=print

[stillcool]

1. The goals haven't changed..

the means to the end might differ a little, but not much. We tend to do the same things over and over. With our weakening position perhaps it's now or never time for dominance in the Middle east. Or maybe, the stars will realign and change the whole picture.

[jody]

2. More of the same, Hype not Change. n/t

[truedelphi]

6. But done by a far more pleasant looking and agreeable person.

Which is what makes it that much scarier.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

3. Don't call it a surge. How about "excalation"? Killing by another name is still killing.

Of course, all the various parties are busily "defending" something while killing people.

[bigtree]

4. whatever we call it

. . . it's growing and threatening to enhance all of the negatives and dangers, even as the effort is sold as a 'solution'.

[ShortnFiery]

5. Let's ask your average, every day Afghan Tribal person what they think?

How about the Afghani women now under Sharia Law?



OK, now let's query The American People? What do you think of our Occupations (Iraq and Afghanistan) as well as the 512 Billion Dollar budget shoveled over to The Pentagon?

[jody]

7. We have as good a chance at conquering Afghanistan as have other invaders.

04/-01/09

[sarcasmo]

11. Those weren't in my 81 Topps collection when I was a kid.

[newtothegame]

8. Where are the apologists?...I've got time, I'll wait. n/t

[SIMPLYB1980]

9. I'm fine with it right now. I want us out of both wars, but realise

it's difficult to get out of them responsibly. Changing the lexicon does sit with me well because I don't like being reminded of Bush, and from what I see so far Obama is proceeding in a deliberate way to try and end these wars as soon as possible. I'm willing to give him the time I never would have wanted McCain to have.

[sarcasmo]

10. Meet the new Boss, same as the old Boss.

[bvar22]

12. Same bag of evil shit...

...New Label!

The scary thing is that this will be good enough for most Americans AND some DUers.