We 'Get It,' Gerry

I usually leave the critiques of Gerard Henderson's articles to those better qualified, however, I can't resist commenting on today's effort in the Sydney Morning Herald.

Gerard lays into those that 'don't get' that the world is at 'war on terror.'

Well, count me in, Gerry, because I've always had a problem with the term 'war' to describe prevention of terrorism. War is open conflict between armed adversaries. Acts of terrorism are are staged events planned in secret and perpertrated by criminals. Preventing terrorism more resembles police work than military action.

The act of flying planes into the World Trade Centre buildings was not an act of 'war,' but a criminal outrage of the worst kind.

It's understandable that the Americans were so incensed after the events in New York that they declared a 'war' on the perpetrators. What isn't excusable is the way they've used the 'war' on terror to persue other agendas.

What frightens people about this radical Islam brand of terrorism is that its adherents are not afraid to sacrifice themselves in the act, unlike traditional terrorists who want to live after the event. You can no longer take for granted that the stranger next to you won't commit a terrorist act in which he will die as well. However, the reality is that the chance of dying in a terrorist act is far less than riding in a motor vehicle.

Radical Islamic terrorism allows authorities to hype up the threat by calling it a 'war' and get away with using it to persue other agendas, like invading Iraq. Because we are at 'war,' it's OK to lock up suspects for years without trial, and send them to an accountable third world country for some information extraction under torture.

Right wingers like Gerry harp on about spreading democracy, but are quite relaxed about taking away some of our freedoms by accepting increased surveillance of the population in general, and vilifying anyone who has a more moderate view than their own.

Terrorists should be persued unremittingly for the crimes they commit, but that persuit should not lessen our democratic values. If it does, then the terrorists have won.