The War on Terror, and why you have already lost it

At first glance, the war on terror might seem like a good idea. Keeping terrorism at bay, keeping us safe, building a safer tomorrow for us all!

First impressions are, more often than not, deceiving.

The thing about terrorism is that there is no such thing as "terrorism". No one is born a terrorist, there is no country by the name of "Terrorism", and unlike diseases it cannot be vaccinated out of existence. It is a tactic, a mode of operation, and as such it could happen literally anywhere. And thus a war on it would be a war on anyone who might resort to this tactic, which is pretty much everyone.

The war on terror is a war on people. Plain and simple. And you, my friends, are people.

Just think about it. Terror is not a proprietary tactic - you do not need a license, permission or even special training to use it. Anyone anywhere could potentially use it, and no increased safety spending can ever change that. If someone really wants to cause mayhem, they will find a way. And more often than not, the very measures taken to prevent terrorism provides ample opportunity to do it more effectively.

It is, for instance, far more effective to bomb the queues to the TSA inspection units than to bomb an actual airplane. The net result is more people hurt, and more latent fear in the air. Which is the whole point of the terrorist enterprise.

And the constant reminder that there is reason aplenty to be afraid only serves to help the terrorists in their endeavor.

The war on terror is, in effect, the best thing any terrorist could hope for. Not only does it make it easier to cause terror, it also makes it more likely to happen. Each and every effort to increase security by removing rights or freedoms is one more reason to resort to terrorism in the first place.

Those who make peaceful change impossible, will make violent revolution inevitable.

And whether or not that revolution comes, you lose. One bit of liberty at a time. Not in a potential future, but today. And every day that public policy is based on fear of the people, instead of the welfare of the people.

You lose. Your move.