Name that policy

The Global War on Terror, otherwise known as GWOT. I've never liked the term; the idea of an actual war against a tactic seems nonsensical to me. I also thought it was ridiculous when they tried to rename it the "Global Struggle Against Violent Extremism (GSAVE)," although the omission of the word "war" was telling -- is it, or is it not, an actual war? Anyway, GSAVE didn't stick.

Last month I started hearing murmurs in the media that the Pentagon is testing a new name: "The Long War." Oh, that is SO much better. The Hundred-Years War is also good, but I think it's been used before, and it has the disadvantage of being closed-ended. A hundred years, and it's over. But "The Long War"... now, that could last forever.

But seriously... One of my criticisms has been that the GWOT has been set up to be a perpetual war. And if we are always on a war footing, and if this is used to rationalize the curtailments of our civil liberties, then when do we get these liberties back? Specifically, I'm referring to the abridging of Amendments IV (warrantless wiretaps), VI (denial of due process for terrorism suspects), and VIII (torture), as well as violations of treaties and international conventions on human rights. We get these liberties back when the so-called war is over. Which, in a Long War, is never.