Daily Kos: The WHAT on TERRORISM? Bush Doesn't Know New Phrase

The WHAT on TERRORISM? Bush Doesn't Know New Phrase
by SusanHu [Subscribe]
Tue Aug 2nd, 2005 at 16:50:39 CDT

Larry Johnson, former CIA/State Dept. intelligence analyst (bio), reports that sources who were briefed on a principals meeting of the Homeland Security Council, held yesterday, were astonished that the president disputed the shift in terminology from WOT (the War on Terrorism) to Global Struggle Against Violent Extremism (GSAVE).

Johnson's sources report that Bush said, "No one checked with me."

The president's "comment brought an uncomfortable silence to the assembled group of pooh bahs," says Johnson. "The President insisted it was still a war as far as he is concerned."

The battle over language and the confusion within the National Security Council is an unfortunate reminder of the chaos that is afflicting the Bush Administration's effort to deal with terrorism. Unfortunately, every agency and department is doing its own thing without strong, clear direction or control from the White House. Makes longtime bureaucrats long for the days of Richard Clarke, when at least there was someone in charge. Larry Johnson's "The WHAT on TERRORISM?" at his blog, No Quarter ..

Daily Kos: The WHAT on TERRORISM? Bush Doesn't Know New Phrase