How Does One Win A "War On Terror?"

The "War on Terror" has killed hundreds of thousands of men, women and children, maimed millions more people including children, orphaned more children while destroying economies and even basic living standards in Iraq. It has cost U.S. taxpayers trillions of dollars and it is threatening to destroy the U.S. economy and its Republic. So what is a "War on Terror" and how does a nation "win" it?

10 years ago, 5 days after 9/11, President Bush declared the U.S.'s "War on Terror." He didn't define it. But whatever it is, it continues and Congress funds it, although Congress never declared war as is mandatory under the U.S. Constitution. It has led the U.S. to torture and to the creation and rampant spread of numerous U.S. "Kill/Capture" squads, secret killing units dispersed any where the U.S. president authorizes, using "emergency" war powers justified by this war, regardless of the Geneva Convention and the United Nations Charter.

It has also led to using vast numbers of military "contractors" for the first time in U.S. history, which are mercenaries paid premium rates to fight for the U.S. and with little disclosure to the American people. It has led to a suspension of Constitutional Rights whenever presidential zeal secretly dictates. The U.S. government's widespread censorship, including declaring much of its actions "Top Secret" in violation of the 1st Amendment and illegal search and seizures in violation of the 4th Amendment are examples. Now the British news agency Reuters reports there is a secret U.S. death panel that can authorize the killing of U.S. citizens, anywhere, any time.* How did we as a nation ever sink to this?

U.S. military spending has doubled since 2001 and the nation's debt has nearly tripled, while leaders of both political parties propose raising military spending while slashing "entitlements," including Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, education and police and fire protection. So how does one "win" a "War on Terror." Americans need to know before they lose everything they have worked so hard for in a fiery Hell of endless war.

Dick
* http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/05/us-cia-killlist-idUSTRE79475C20111005