I have no idea how anyone can think that the United States position in the 'war on terror' is a good position. First off, how many of our citizens have died over there (soldiers and civilians)? Secondly, the main reason that military was sent over there was not for what they are all fighting for now, (cough... thanks President Bush!). Thirdly, does anyone realize how much we could have helped others, people that were not and are not going to fight our help with the amount of resources that that war has burned through? Other nations that are in circumstances just as bad if not worse? Yeah its great that our soldiers are involved in a huge battle that has been going on forever. Going On Forever...

in order for us to be winning the war on terror, the war on terror has to be a real war - it's not. to even call it one is to be misleading. it's a propaganda campaign. a more accurate description would be 'the neverending battle against terror'. they called it a war so that people would get behind it - because wars end - and then people feel like they can be done with it and move on. i'm not saying we shouldn't be fighting against terrorism and hunting these people down... but i think to assume that it will one day be over is naive and is just an example of the lies we've been told for the past 7 years since 9/11.

Depends 100% on your definition of 'winning'.

i don't think that it's as cut and dry as a yes or no thing. we're obviously putting a lot of man power out there to contain a lot of what we consider to be terrorist organizations but obviously there are still so many things going on in the world on a day to day basis that i'm not sure that we can really say that it's any better. i know that from an internal stand-point - you can use the argument that we've managed to be attack free which is a fantastic thing but that one time that lives in history was a one time thing - so it's not like we have a lot to compare it to. if you think about all the other countries like israel and iraq that have bombings EVERY DAY, well they would be able to noticeable see a change.

Oops... I voted wrong. Can I get a do-over? That's what I get for reading questions before I've had my coffee.

I want to know how you define winning though. What exactly are the US's goals on the 'war on terror'? Other than finding Bin Laden.

In other news, the War on Pathos, not so much.

I think the 'war on terror' is a war but its a war that's going to continually be fought long after we leave this earth. Cray nutjob zealots that want to kill us aren't going to just magically disappear someday. And protecting the homeland against these crazy nutjobs is something that has to be continued forever too. Sad but true.

I think that Americans' opinions of the war on terror are heavily influenced by the fact that now, we know a lot more about our country's doings with terrorists than we ever have in the past.

Could be that I was just an ambivalent student, but it didn't seem like there wasn't alot of transparency about our policies like we have now - for example, the news that came out a few days ago about that SECRET executive order signed in '04.

A lot of what we are currently learning is distasteful... doesn't mean that these types of things weren't going on pre-9/11. I also think it's important to point out that we know of incidences after the facts, but the general public is never given the intelligence behind the decisions. It's easy for us to take the high road and condemn our leaders for making hard decisions and passing unpopular policy because we don't know everything and shouldn't expect to.

So, for me it's impossible to answer if we are definitively winning because we aren't given all the information. But I voted yes because I think we are making headway. Iraq certianly seems to be going better and I read an article today that Osama is basically cut off from civilization and can't have contact with his peeps anymore. We've also haven't had anymore attacks, so I find it all very encouraging.

I agree with yesteryear ... whenever I hear the phrase "war on terror", I have to stifle a laugh. But in a way, I also agree with piper above, since we attribute the phrase to other neverending issues like "the war on drugs" or "the war on poverty." Neverending waaaarrrrrr (sung to the theme song of Neverending Story)

"No. The Middle East is a mess, and terrorists are never going to sign a peace treaty"

This makes a grand assumption that all we want is peace with the terrorists, which isn't what we want. Terrorists want to wipe the western world off the face of the earth. The people who support the war want to make sure they don't succeed.

I'm going to agree with bigestivediscuit. You can't win a war on terror any more than you can win the war on drugs.

Or the War on Stupidity or the War on Anger. No more wars against abstract nouns, please.

I like the war on drugs/poverty/terror. I think it puts in perspective the amount of work that we need to put in to make hedgeway. I don't think the word war is meant to get support behind them. They are long fought battles but to me are worth it. And i feel we are making progress in the war on terror, as this is the longest we have gone without a terrorist attack in a long time. I'd rather be giving my money to fight a war on terror (whether or not it is on the afghan front or iraq front) then be giving them to lazy bums who don't want to work, welfare women who just keep popping out more babies, and left wing orgs. that exploit our voting systems (ahem acorn)

>I like the war on drugs/poverty/terror. I think it puts in perspective the amount of work that we need to put in to make hedgeway. I don't think the word war is meant to get support behind them. They are long fought battles but to me are worth it. And i feel we are making progress in the war on terror, as this is the longest we have gone without a terrorist attack in a long time. I'd rather be giving my money to fight a war on terror (whether or not it is on the afghan front or iraq front) then be giving them to lazy bums who don't want to work, welfare women who just keep popping out more babies, and left wing orgs. that exploit our voting systems (ahem acorn)

Sigh. My head just exploded. All over my freshly painted office.

You cant make peace with zealots like that. I dont like the phrase "war on terror" but I have confidence that we are doing the best we can, but can always do better.

C'mon CG, everyone sevretly wants peace, right? The problem is zealots want peace on their terms, and aren't willing to compromise.

We are not winning this thing just yet people! There are works to be done in the middle east and congo and zimbabwe, these are all related one way or another, we have to help to settle these crisis and the recruiting of terrorists will suffer. It's as simple as that.

And there is also global warming, bush has screwed it with other countries, obama has to turn thing around quick.

Bush has screwed global warming with other countries?

There will always be terrorists of some kind, I think. The difference is how mainstream or marginalized their ideologies are.

Kranky I agree with you! Alert the media!

This seems like a silly poll.

Wow diadem! I'm touched!

I'm with Torg on this one. No, really, the war on abstract nouns is designed to collectivize us the way a real war does. Whether it be the war on drugs, the war on global warming, or the war on terror we are always expected to give up our personal liberties to commit to the war effort. This is especially scary when there is no real war effort. They're constantly seeking the moral equivalent of war.

In her book, Hillary Clinton lamented the fact that we all work together during a war effort, and then afterwards everyone goes back to doing their own thing. She wanted us to stay in that mode all the time, which fits with her ideology, I suppose.

"the war on abstract nouns is designed to collectivize us the way a real war does. Whether it be the war on drugs, the war on global warming, or the war on terror we are always expected to give up our personal liberties to commit to the war effort. This is especially scary when there is no real war effort. They're constantly seeking the moral equivalent of war."

I agree with that completely, organic.

"and left wing orgs. that exploit our voting systems"

I can't help but think this was directed at me.

How about a war on high-waisted jeans? I can get behind that.

Aww Org, come on now you know better

"Or the War on Stupidity or the War on Anger. No more wars against abstract nouns, please."

Or the War on Christmas?

I'll agree we're finally turning the tables in Iraq, but Iraq is not the War on Terror.

It's not the only place where we are fighting the war on terror, but it's nice to hear acknowledgement that good things are happening.

I am not sure if the us is successfully winning but i know its costing alot of lives