The War on Terror (also known as the Global War on Terror and War on Terrorism) is a term commonly applied to an international military campaign begun in 2001 by the United States and the United Kingdom, with support from other countries. The campaign's official purpose was to eliminate al-Qaeda and other militant organizations.
The phrase 'War on Terror' was first used by US President George W. Bush on 20 September 2001. The Bush administration and the Western media have since used the term to denote a global military, political, legal and ideological struggle—targeting both organizations designated as terrorist and regimes accused of supporting them. It was typically used with a particular focus on militant Islamists and al-Qaeda.
Although the term is not officially used by the administration of US President Barack Obama (which instead uses the term Overseas Contingency Operation), it is still commonly used by politicians, in the media and officially by some aspects of government, such as the United States' Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Read more about War On Terror: Language, Precursor To The 9/11 Attacks, US Objectives, International Military Support, Al-Qaeda Attacks, U.S. Military Aid To Other Countries, Post 9/11 Events Inside The United States, Casualties, Costs, Criticism
Famous quotes containing the words war and/or terror:
“Unless they are immediate victims, the majority of mankind behaves as if war was an act of God which could not be prevented; or they behave as if war elsewhere was none of their business. It would be a bitter cosmic joke if we destroy ourselves due to atrophy of the imagination.”
—Martha Gellhorn (b. 1908)
“You will learn one day, great king, that there are but three things that men respect: the lash that descends, the yoke that breaks and the sword that slays. By the power and terror of these you may conquer the earth.”
—Miles Malleson (1888–1969)