The War on Terror Is Anti-Conservative

The so-called global war on terror, now referred to as overseas contingency operations, is without end and without limits, and has made the US hated and feared in most of the world, not respected. It has even made American citizens potential targets of their own government without any recourse to the protections afforded by the constitution.

And America's war against the world did not have to happen. There are real threats in the world against Americans and American interests, but military action in support of the national interest should only be a last option after every other step has been taken. And then there is the issue of blowback. Why is America the target of terrorists and suicide bombers? Surely not because it has freedoms that some view negatively. As Usama bin Laden put it, in possibly the only known joke made by a terrorist, if freedoms were the issue al-Qaeda would be attacking Sweden.

GWB used 9/11 as an excuse to invade Afghanistan and Iraq; not exactly what one would expect from a compassionate conservative. He turned the definition of conservatism - limited government and personal responsibility - on its head.