Leftists use right-wing rhetoric.

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There has not been an official US-declared or certified war since WWII. Korea wasn't a war, it was a "police action." Vietnam wasn't a war, it was a "conflict." And what about U.S. attacks on Panama and Grenada? Wars? They weren't even legally-declared sucker punches!

The militarists like to call it "war" because it prompts all this flag-waving "patriotism" and big historic importance, and the drama like in the John Wayne-Audie Murphy-Luke Starwalker movies.

Under-informed parents across our "homeland" proudly send their children "off to war," but there's little pride that would be found in sending the kids off to an Illegal Occupation, or International Law-Violating Military Assault.

It is wrong to say what we have now are wars, and depending on who's saying it for what purpose, it's a lie. To know better and still call it "war" is to lie.

For us left-progressives to use their right-wing "war" rhetoric is a disservice to our ideological colleagues and those we hope to persuade.

What we really have are Illegal Invasions, Illegal Occupations, Violations of International Law, Unjustified Military Operations, Massive Human Rights Violations, and so on. The U.S. is no more at war than a typical cigarette is tobacco...or than most U.S. Congress members are our representatives....or than "public broadcasting" is public....or than the USA is "America" (i.e. it's just one PART of The Americas.)  We need to retake ownership of the language.

To tolerate calling the Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Pakistan, etc., operations "war" is to make it easier for officials to claim "war powers" and "extraordinary" rights deprivations. It's to make it easier for the Pentagon to hand over billions and billions to their friends in the weapons and other contractor industries. And, to criticize a "war president" is to be a virtual traitor...as our mainstream media make clear.

To be "anti-war" is VERY short of a full explanation....though it saves ink, paint and space on protest signs. In any case, many may not automatically be anti-war...as they feel that a war against an active or imminent aggressive act by some nation would be legitimate.

Many sure didn't and don't see any problem with the legally-declared war against the 3rd Reich and Japan, though there's more to be said about all that.
To be just "anti-war" automatically eliminates many actual war vets and their families from being possible allies against illegal invasions and the like.

Some of us would volunteer to take a "WayBack Machine" ride to the early 40s to be Truly Anti War, but today....there is no U.S. war. It's not a good idea to use and validate the militarist's propaganda lingo. We need some buttons saying something about being anti the Corporatocracy's use of "War" to describe illegal atrocities that are not technically or legally wars.

Authors Bio:
Long time activist in areas relating to industrial toxics, media content and control, death penalty, Mumia Abu-Jamal, hemp prohibition, civil rights, insurance influence in public governing, religious influence in public governing, unsafe foods, environmental issues, regressive "fees" to replace legitimate taxation, and the scapegoating of "sinful" tobacco for the health harms of industrial toxins, carcinogens and so forth.