Role of US Military Action in President Bushs War Essay -- September

Role of US Military Action in President Bush's War      Ã‚  Ã‚   An observant 12 year old told the New York Times Magazine not long ago that, "War is not like one attack; it's a big deal." On September 11, 2001, America was the target of an attack that left over five thousand people dead and many more wounded. President Bush has since declared a war on terrorism, but unlike conventional wars, this one has no discrete enemy and must be fought on a number of different "fronts." Fighting a war on terrorism cannot be fought in the traditional sense, by the very definition of terrorism. Various fronts are necessary in America's fight against terrorism, taking the form of economic, political, and military actions. Worldwide cooperation against terrorism has proven to be unreliable, and it will be shown here, that America's insistence on military action, in light of faltering international cooperation, makes the use of force the most important front in President Bush's war on terrorism.    (2) President George W. Bush has said that the "war" against global terrorism is a matter of "good and evil." Evil is presumably to be characterized by "those who conduct terrorist acts against the United States, those who sponsor them, those who harbor them, and those who challenge freedom wherever it may exist." Terrorism however, is not war. War is a confrontation on clear lines between identified parties, where there is sustained and concerted military action by military personnel who use the material, weaponry and military tactics of war. According to President Bush's executive order, number 13224, the term terrorism is defined as:    (3) An activity that involves a violent act or an act dangerous to human life, property, or infrastru... ...k Times Magazines." New York Times 23 Sept. 2001: 77. 2. US Embassy Website. http://www.usembassy.bg/asset.html 3. Yahoo News. http://us.news2.yimg.com/f/42/31/7m/dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20010912/wl/attack_usa_pakistan_dc_4.html 4. Israeli Government Site. http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/go.asp?MFAH0k4q0 5. Terrorism. Executive Order 13224 Blocking Property and Prohibiting Transactions with Persons who Commit, Threaten to Commit, or support Terrorism 23. Sept. 2001: 2. 6. Terrorism Website. http://www.terrorism.com/terrorism/sloan.shtml 7. White House Website. http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/09/20010920-8.html 8. Lexis Nexis. "Zambia; Abdullah Justifies India's Support of US Action against Afghanistan." Africa News Service, Inc. October 25, 2001. 9. Yahoo News (2). http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/ap/20011029/wl/attacks_saudi_1.html