Time for Trib to retire 'War On Terror' moniker

In its September 20 editorial 'No, the war on terror isn’t over: In 1 week, 3 evocations of 9/11', the Trib trotted out the George W. Bush administration 'War On Terror' scare tactic used to justify 18 years of senseless, perpetual war. The 911 attacks required a criminal investigation and response, something used by every Western country that has been so attacked except the US. Our response was to concoct the 'War On Terror' holy war against any person, group or country deemed even remotely in violation of the War On Terror's corollary 'You're either with us or against us'. Eighteen years of war in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Libya, Syria, Yemen and Somalia are all justified by that 'bait and switch' characterization of the 911 attacks. Yet, these wars perpetuate the blowback of possible new attacks, creating a vicious cycle of endless intervention.

Yes, the US must remain vigilant against terror attacks. But the most effective tactic would be to end America's perpetual wars, which to the peoples we're slaughtering daily, represent America's War Of Terror.