By Greg Sargent - July 29, 2008, TPM
The McCain campaign has repeatedly attacked Barack Obama as weak on terror, accusing him of a "September 10th mind-set" and hitting him for favoring a law-enforcement approach to terrorists as "criminals," rather than seeing the campaign against terror as a war.
But a study released today by a think-tank that does research for the Pentagon concludes that a law-enforcement approach, rather than a "war on terror" framing, is precisely what's needed to effectively counter terrorism -- a position that's squarely at odds with that of the McCain campaign.
From a summary of the study by the Rand Corporation:
"Current U.S. strategy against the terrorist group al Qaida has not been successful in significantly undermining the group's capabilities, according to a new RAND Corporation study issued today... "
In looking at how other terrorist groups have ended, the RAND study found that most terrorist groups end either because they join the political process, or because local police and intelligence efforts arrest or kill key members. Police and intelligence agencies, rather than the military, should be the tip of the spear against al Qaida in most of the world, and the United States should abandon the use of the phrase "war on terrorism," researchers concluded.
McCain, of course uses the phrase "war on terror" on the campaign trail almost as often as he giggles (though in fairness, Obama uses the phrase from time to time too).
And here's what the study's author has to say about how to confront terror groups: "In most cases, military force isn't the best instrument."
As Steve Benen, who flagged this earlier, notes: "In a sensible political environment, the Rand report's conclusion would be obvious and beyond question."
I would add that in a sensible political environment, this study would constitute a pretty strong blow to McCain's Obama-weak-on-terror hokum. But we aren't functioning in a sensible political environment, so one can only hope this study finds its way into the hands of as many media figures as possible.
http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/07/pentagonlinked_think_tank_at_o.php
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