page_title: Criticism of the war on terror
section_title: Methods
hierarchical_section_title: Criticism of the war on terror / Methods
caption_attribution_description: English: Participants in a rally sponsored by The World Can't Wait are dressed as hooded detainees and holding WCW signs in Upper Senate Park on January 4, 2007. Photo by Ben Schumin.
context_page_description: Criticism of the war on terror addresses the morals, ethics, efficiency, economics, as well as other issues surrounding the war on terror. It also touches upon criticism against the phrase itself, which was branded as a misnomer. The notion of a "war" against "terrorism" has proven highly contentious, with critics charging that participating governments exploited it to pursue long-standing policy/military objectives, reduce civil liberties, and infringe upon human rights. It is argued that the term war is not appropriate in this context, since there is no identifiable enemy and that it is unlikely international terrorism can be brought to an end by military means.
  Other critics, such as Francis Fukuyama, note that "terrorism" is not an enemy, but a tactic: calling it a "war on terror" obscures differences between conflicts such as anti-occupation insurgents and international mujahideen. With a military presence in Iraq and Afghanistan and its associated collateral damage Shirley Williams maintains this increases resentment and terrorist threats against the West.
caption: Protestors dressed as hooded detainees and holding WCW signs in Washington DC on January 4, 2007
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