James Fallows: “The War on Terror is Over”

Another great article in The Atlantic, James Fallows: "Declaring Victory"

"The United States is succeeding in its struggle against terrorism. The time has come to declare the war on terror over , so that an even more effective military and diplomatic campaign can begin." (James Fallows, from Declaring Victory)

Yes it sounds very strange given today 's occurrences, but it's an excellent article that is kind of persuasive. It doesn't go in the direction that the blurb above might make you think.

"But the overall prospect looks better than many Americans believe, and better than nearly all political rhetoric asserts. The essence of the change is this: because of al-Qaeda's own mistakes, and because of the things the United States and its allies have done right, al-Qaeda's ability to inflict direct damage in America or on Americans has been sharply reduced. Its successor groups in Europe, the Middle East, and elsewhere will continue to pose dangers. But its hopes for fundamentally harming the United States now rest less on what it can do itself than on what it can trick , tempt , or goad us into doing. Its destiny is no longer in its own hands." (James Fallows, from Declaring Victory)

May you live in interesting times.