In the Loop

The End of the Global War on Terror

Updated 4:58 p.m. 3/24/09

By Al Kamen

The end of the Global War on Terror -- or at least the use of that phrase -- has been codified at the Pentagon. Reports that the phrase was being retired have been circulating for some time amongst senior administration officials, and this morning speechwriters and other staff were notified via this e-mail to use "Overseas Contingency Operation" instead.



"Recently, in a LtGen [John] Bergman, USMC, statement for the 25 March [congressional] hearing, OMB required that the following change be made before going to the Hill," Dave Riedel, of the Office of Security Review, wrote in an e-mail.



"OMB says: 'This Administration prefers to avoid using the term "Long War" or "Global War on Terror" [GWOT]. Please use "Overseas Contingency Operation.'"



Riedel asked recipients to "Please pass on to your speech writers and try to catch this change before the statements make it to OMB."

An OMB spokesman took issue with the interpretation of OMB's wishes. "There was no memo, no guidance," said Kenneth Baer. "This is the opinion of a career civil servant."

Referring to the phrase "global war on terror," Baer said, "I have no reason to believe that would be stricken" from Hill testimony.

By way of history, senior Bush administration officials several years ago wanted to stop using the phrase and switch to something many felt might better reflect the realities of the fight against international terrorism.

One leading option was to change the name to GSAVE, or Global Struggle Against Violent Extremism. This was not as catchy an acronym as GWOT, but officials felt it more accurately described the battle.Then-Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld even used the GSAVE abbreviation publicly.

But, in a White House meeting, President Bush ruled that it was still a war for him, and Rumsfeld and everyone else went back to GWOT.

Posted at 4:08 PM ET on Mar 23, 2009 | Category: In the Loop

Share This: Technorati | Tag in Del.icio.us | Digg This

Previous: Obama Sits Down with '60 Minutes' | Next: Grading WhiteHouse.gov



Add 44 to Your Site



Get This Widget >> Be the first to know when there's a new installment of The Trail. This widget is easy to add to your Web site, and it will update every time there's a new entry on The Trail.





Posted by: Hillary08 | March 31, 2009 5:29 AM

Posted by: mhiker | March 30, 2009 8:17 PM

Posted by: extreme1 | March 29, 2009 12:54 AM

Posted by: midsummer70 | March 28, 2009 10:50 PM

Posted by: JakeD | March 27, 2009 1:22 PM

Posted by: AZPaleocon | March 25, 2009 10:31 PM

Posted by: rwsflbeck | March 25, 2009 10:17 PM

Posted by: spartacus_1 | March 25, 2009 7:00 PM

Posted by: rfpdx | March 25, 2009 1:42 PM

Posted by: mafavon | March 25, 2009 12:56 PM

Posted by: pgcsny | March 25, 2009 11:47 AM

Posted by: Bigmo472 | March 25, 2009 9:47 AM

Posted by: Totoro | March 25, 2009 7:49 AM

Posted by: wftjet1 | March 25, 2009 7:47 AM

Posted by: Totoro | March 25, 2009 7:43 AM

Posted by: jackolantyrn356 | March 25, 2009 7:41 AM

Posted by: padillaben | March 25, 2009 7:40 AM

Posted by: johnhiggins1990 | March 25, 2009 7:24 AM

Posted by: docfjs | March 25, 2009 2:37 AM

Posted by: priley8104 | March 25, 2009 1:37 AM

Posted by: CJBernard | March 25, 2009 1:36 AM

Posted by: jackolantyrn356 | March 25, 2009 1:32 AM

Posted by: betterred2 | March 25, 2009 12:49 AM

Posted by: sr_munchero | March 25, 2009 12:19 AM

Posted by: johnhiggins1990 | March 25, 2009 12:14 AM

Posted by: HD4lyf | March 25, 2009 12:01 AM

Posted by: doliver40 | March 24, 2009 11:49 PM

Posted by: chazz60 | March 24, 2009 11:38 PM

Posted by: jake1492 | March 24, 2009 11:38 PM

Posted by: bpjam | March 24, 2009 11:07 PM

Posted by: Postde-subscriber | March 24, 2009 10:59 PM

Posted by: bpjam | March 24, 2009 10:55 PM

Posted by: DrRob1 | March 24, 2009 10:50 PM

Posted by: sportster99 | March 24, 2009 10:44 PM

Posted by: DrRob1 | March 24, 2009 10:41 PM

Posted by: jake1492 | March 24, 2009 10:41 PM

Posted by: kellycallies | March 24, 2009 10:30 PM

Posted by: DrRob1 | March 24, 2009 10:29 PM

Posted by: muslimsarevermin2008 | March 24, 2009 10:17 PM

Posted by: dryden01 | March 24, 2009 9:45 PM

Posted by: pattieb | March 24, 2009 9:40 PM

Posted by: MitchR | March 24, 2009 9:18 PM

Posted by: DrRob1 | March 24, 2009 9:16 PM

Posted by: smor2370 | March 24, 2009 9:15 PM

Posted by: jg2375 | March 24, 2009 9:14 PM

Posted by: LuKuj | March 24, 2009 9:08 PM

Posted by: JakeD | March 24, 2009 9:05 PM

Posted by: MitchR | March 24, 2009 8:58 PM

Posted by: sniper609 | March 24, 2009 8:48 PM

Posted by: bobojake | March 24, 2009 8:43 PM

Posted by: kualoha12 | March 24, 2009 8:40 PM

Posted by: ensignbay | March 24, 2009 8:39 PM

Posted by: omniscentone | March 24, 2009 8:28 PM

Posted by: NCMike | March 24, 2009 8:23 PM

Posted by: JakeD | March 24, 2009 8:14 PM

Posted by: Warrior07 | March 24, 2009 8:14 PM

Posted by: joanne600 | March 24, 2009 8:09 PM

Posted by: Warrior07 | March 24, 2009 8:04 PM

Posted by: prcauch | March 24, 2009 8:04 PM

Posted by: wapoisajoke | March 24, 2009 8:00 PM

Posted by: MitchR | March 24, 2009 7:58 PM

Posted by: Warrior07 | March 24, 2009 7:55 PM

Posted by: citizen-soldier | March 24, 2009 7:54 PM

Posted by: scmdod | March 24, 2009 7:52 PM

Posted by: rcbeng | March 24, 2009 7:48 PM

Posted by: JakeD | March 24, 2009 5:04 PM

Posted by: Observer44 | March 24, 2009 4:54 PM

Posted by: rooster54 | March 24, 2009 11:57 AM

Posted by: Buffal0Bill | March 24, 2009 11:47 AM

Posted by: JakeD | March 24, 2009 7:32 AM

Posted by: gregp1 | March 24, 2009 12:08 AM

Posted by: JRM2 | March 23, 2009 7:09 PM

Posted by: JRM2 | March 23, 2009 7:08 PM

Posted by: Dungarees | March 23, 2009 6:47 PM

Posted by: JakeD | March 23, 2009 5:59 PM

Posted by: scrivener50 | March 23, 2009 5:57 PM

Posted by: scrivener50 | March 23, 2009 5:54 PM

Posted by: JakeD | March 23, 2009 5:52 PM

Posted by: scrivener50 | March 23, 2009 5:49 PM

Posted by: JRM2 | March 23, 2009 5:31 PM

Posted by: Just_An_Observer | March 23, 2009 5:29 PM

Posted by: Just_An_Observer | March 23, 2009 5:19 PM

Posted by: dwgerard | March 23, 2009 4:58 PM

The comments to this entry are closed.