NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams offered this brief update on Wednesday's newscast: “We learned today there's no more Global War on Terror -- at least it's been renamed by the Obama administration. The Pentagon will now call the ongoing U.S. military effort the 'Overseas Contingency Operation.'” That presumes the war, I mean “effort,” will continue.
But not even the NBC News graphics staff bought the new name , or at least couldn't fit the longer name into a graphic. As Williams spoke, NBC displayed “FIGHTING TERROR.”
The short item from Williams came right after he pointed out “a stunning turn of events in Iraq” as “the level of violence in Iraq has thankfully fallen sharply.”
From the Wednesday, March 25 NBC Nightly News:
We wanted to take a moment tonight to note a stunning turn of events in Iraq. As you might have noted, there was not one question about the war in last night's presidential news conference. While it has been crowded off the national radar of late, the level of violence in Iraq has thankfully fallen sharply. A military spokesman there said today the number of attacks has dropped to the lowest level since the month following the U.S. invasion six years ago now -- from a peak of more than 1,200 attacks a week, to what is now often fewer than 100 a week.And we learned today there's no more Global War on Terror -- at least it's been renamed by the Obama administration. The Pentagon will now call the ongoing U.S. military effort the Overseas Contingency Operation.
—Brent Baker is Vice President for Research and Publications at the Media Research Center




















Editor at Large
Comments Policy
He'll Be Given a Few More Chances
March 26, 2009 - 10:45 ET by HoosierEmAfter that, Mr. Brian Williams better prepare himself to be shut out, and not just by Obama but by his Obama-loving bosses at NBC.
Naughty, naughty!
Wait
March 26, 2009 - 10:48 ET by cvgbuckeyeWait until the next terrorist attack on the U S. AND, God help us, IT WILL COME. We will then see how foolish all this Obama crap really is.
Of course I can hear it now: "THIS ATTACK THAT I INHERITED FROM THIS PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION".
I heard about this..
March 26, 2009 - 10:48 ET by HeavyChevyso I wonder what's next we no longer call them suicide bombers. I guess the new name will be "Men with explosive dispositions"
This Attack
March 26, 2009 - 10:54 ET by HoosierEm"THIS ATTACK THAT I INHERITED FROM THIS PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION".
You've got that right!
Kinda sorta, Heavy
March 26, 2009 - 11:00 ET by BlondeUncle Jimbo over at Blackfive has referred to The One's administration as "the new sheriff and his gang of euphemizers" . Great stuff!
As UJ concludes....we are in some deep shiite.
I hope he fails, too.
The absolute hate I have for this administration
March 26, 2009 - 11:10 ET by HeavyChevycannot be brought to words right now Blonde.
I know, Heavy
March 26, 2009 - 11:59 ET by BlondeDid you know that the Navy Secretary just bestowed its highest civilian honor on that scummy Haditha Jack Murtha?
Nice, huh?
If the economy weren't so horrible, I think we'd see a mass exodus from the Armed Forces. I am totally ashamed of the way they are being treated by our government. I despise Obama for a lot of things, but that most of all.
I hope he fails, too.
B...I saw that the other
March 26, 2009 - 12:08 ET by motherbeltB...I saw that the other day. There is an online petition to get them to rescind it.
I encourage everyone to go sign it!
The number of signatures now stands at 35,861 and is climbing steadily.
I didn't think it was physically possible, but this both sucks and blows. -Bart Simpson
Thanks, mb
March 26, 2009 - 12:25 ET by BlondeWill do.
I'd love to see them take it away from the only Ex-Marine on the planet.
I hope he fails, too.
Done.
March 26, 2009 - 12:28 ET by RukusThanks MomB, I had no idea that jerk was getting honored. Sheesh!
Gary
"Things can only bother you if you let them bother you" -My Dad
I love the last graf; the
March 26, 2009 - 12:32 ET by motherbeltI love the last graf; the "Therefore..." after the "Whereas...."
We the undersigned are appalled that the Secretary of the Navy would bestow the Department's highest award for a non-employee to John Murtha after his vile and despicable attacks against U.S. servicemen. This petition is a vehicle to express our bitter disappointment at this betrayal of our combat veterans. Congressman John Murtha should apologize for slandering the Marines of 3/1, and for undermining the efforts of those servicemen and women who fought in Iraq. If he does not, the Secretary of the Navy should rescind this award as a sign of his unwavering support for those who served in combat during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
There is a place for comments when you sign. I added my comment:
Apologize and resign, Mr. Murtha!!
I didn't think it was physically possible, but this both sucks and blows. -Bart Simpson
Re suicide bombers
March 26, 2009 - 11:55 ET by slickwillie2001You're already out of date, the PC-approved term is now 'homicide bomber'.
LOL
March 26, 2009 - 14:21 ET by XJ.JonThat is hilarious.
brian williams
March 26, 2009 - 10:52 ET by east tennessee johnThere were no questions about Iraq during the news conference. It's been crowded off the national radar as of late, by the puposeful actions of those of us in the MSM who were against it from the beginning. Afterall, if we would have been reporting the continuing progress, that clown McCain, who supported the Surge, whose success has allowed us to get to the place we're now at, would have gotten creidt, particularly compared to Sgt. Schultz, who opposed the surge and even to this very day can not speak of it in positive terms,successful or not. This is what we're all about, filtering things so you can't get any possible information that doesn't cast a favorable light on Himself, his policies, or casts aspersions on his opponents. Better get use to it , suckers. We, in the media KNOW what's good for you, so quit your bleating, understand?
brian williams
March 26, 2009 - 10:52 ET by east tennessee johnThere were no questions about Iraq during the news conference. It's been crowded off the national radar as of late, by the puposeful actions of those of us in the MSM who were against it from the beginning. Afterall, if we would have been reporting the continuing progress, that clown McCain, who supported the Surge, whose success has allowed us to get to the place we're now at, would have gotten creidt, particularly compared to Sgt. Schultz, who opposed the surge and even to this very day can not speak of it in positive terms,successful or not. This is what we're all about, filtering things so you can't get any possible information that doesn't cast a favorable light on Himself, his policies, or casts aspersions on his opponents. Better get use to it , suckers. We, in the media KNOW what's good for you, so quit your bleating, understand?
brian williams
March 26, 2009 - 10:53 ET by east tennessee johnThere were no questions about Iraq during the news conference. It's been crowded off the national radar as of late, by the puposeful actions of those of us in the MSM who were against it from the beginning. Afterall, if we would have been reporting the continuing progress, that clown McCain, who supported the Surge, whose success has allowed us to get to the place we're now at, would have gotten creidt, particularly compared to Sgt. Schultz, who opposed the surge and even to this very day can not speak of it in positive terms,successful or not. This is what we're all about, filtering things so you can't get any possible information that doesn't cast a favorable light on Himself, his policies, or casts aspersions on his opponents. Better get use to it , suckers. We, in the media KNOW what's good for you, so quit your bleating, understand?
OMO OCO
March 26, 2009 - 10:58 ET by katainkentzomg wtf. :P
_____________________________________________________
Obama does not perform as advertised. I'd like a refund.
Taxed Enough Already.
It is hard to comprehend
March 26, 2009 - 11:11 ET by SeashellIt is hard to comprehend that we are in a war and NO ONE at the press conference bothered to ask a single question. I bet if things were going badly, many questions would have been asked.
A reporter's question
March 26, 2009 - 11:47 ET by ThisnThatNot fair, Seashell, I can think of at least one appropriate question; thus:
Mr. Beloved President,
About the Situation in Iraq. I know you've only been our Messiah for 60 days, but still -- can you tell us (over and over if possible) how you did it? How were you able, in less than 2 months, to turn around that dreadfull situation, with no possibility of winning or political reconcillation; with no chance that the world would every think good of us ever again -- how were you able to convert that situation into total victory? Was it the the promise to remove our troops? Is that what did it? Or the cut in Defense spending? The promise to close down Gitmo and return of its victims to their countries? Or was it simply your magnificent oratory skills and force of personality, which allowed our friends (Iran, Al queda, Syria) to know how much we respect them, and warnings to our enemies (Great Britian, in particular) to keep their distance?
Whatever it was, you now have our full backing, dear leader, and we -- the common foot soldiers of the MSM, and their generals -- salute you for erasing the stench of the past 8 years when the murderous U.S. Government created the 9/11 disaster, and our so-called "soldiers" murdered hundreds of thousands of Iraqi women and children. And by the way, that's the official record of those events, recorded for posterity by your most trusted fifth column (errr, fourth estate).
___________________________________
The challenge is to follow a consistent plan despite inconsistent prices - Sarah Palin, State of the State of Alaska speech
About the Situation in
March 26, 2009 - 11:58 ET by motherbeltAbout the Situation in Iraq. I know you've only been our Messiah for 60
days, but still -- can you tell us (over and over if possible) how you
did it? How were you able, in less than 2 months, to turn around that
dreadfull situation, with no possibility of winning or political
reconcillation; with no chance that the world would every think good of
us ever again -- how were you able to convert that situation into total
victory?
Easy. By pushing the "RENAME" button!
I didn't think it was physically possible, but this both sucks and blows. -Bart Simpson
No, it's not hard to comprehend. It's hard to stomach.
March 26, 2009 - 21:50 ET by CKA in Red State USAThe advocacy/adversary media does not care. Period.
Their lack of testicularity in even trying to understand and their ignoring what's occurring and has occurred--now that's puke-inducing.
I'm just guessing here, but I'll bet few of them ever laced up a pair of combat boots, in training or otherwise.
Their disrespect for the sacrifices of American servicemen and servicewomen is infuriating.
But hard to comprehend?
No.
It's what people of their moral ambiguity and intellectual shallowness do.
Safe to report on it, now that the election is over.
March 26, 2009 - 11:25 ET by krendlerWilliams: "We wanted to take a moment tonight to note a stunning turn of events in
Iraq."
Only "a moment", to finally report on something as momentous as a U.S. victory in Iraq?
By the way, Brian, you're about 12 months late on reporting this "stunning turn of events".
Williams: "While it has been crowded
off the national radar of late, the level of violence in Iraq has
thankfully fallen sharply."
As of late being since things started dramatically improving, well over a year ago. And it wasn't "crowded off". It was deliberately ignored by outfits like NBC and CNN, with excuses like "There's a fatigue factor. The American people are tired of hearing about Iraq."
I hate to state the obvious but the media in the U.S. is an absolute disgrace.
I can just see the collection of liberals assembled on Meet the Press next Sunday, nodding thoughtfully as David Gregory asks "Did it take someone like Barack Obama to finally bring victory in Iraq?", with Eugene Robinson offering "That appears to be the case, I think..."
"Did it take someone like
March 26, 2009 - 11:30 ET by Seashell"Did it take someone like Barack Obama to finally bring victory in Iraq?"
It is absolutely sickening to think that Obama might just get the credit for ending a successful war in Iraq.
I agree.
March 26, 2009 - 12:02 ET by motherbeltThat just makes me want to throw up!
Yes, it took someone like Barack Obama, after President Bush did all the heavy lifting, to step in and take credit for the success.
Shameful.
I didn't think it was physically possible, but this both sucks and blows. -Bart Simpson
You better prepare yourself...
March 26, 2009 - 12:20 ET by Prester John....for the media extravaganza when BHO decides to meet one of the brigades returning from Iraq. He will be portrayed as the brave CINC, changer of strategy, inspiration for our heroic troops as they win a hard fought victory with live coverage on every channel as he surrounds himself with soldiers and their families.
It will be disgusting beyond belief.
Of course there won't be any coverage when those same soldiers are deployed a few months from now to Afghanistan.
....as he surrounds himself
March 26, 2009 - 12:26 ET by Seashell....as he surrounds himself with soldiers and their families.
The soldiers (who know the truth) would probably want to spit on Obama but have to much dignity to do so.
All of this is beyond
March 26, 2009 - 22:15 ET by bigtimerAll of this is beyond contempt.
Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart
VFW out, VOC in
March 26, 2009 - 11:37 ET by SickofLibsWe're gonna need a new organization to replace the VFW: Veterans of Overseas Contingencies.
Hopefully we won't ever engage anywhere in our own hemisphere, then the 'overseas' part wouldn't make sense.
Let us also remember and
March 26, 2009 - 11:42 ET by SickofLibsLet us also remember and acknowledge that altho it is now 'less than 100 attacks per week', to the men and women on the front lines, that is not an inconsequential statistic.
Troops Return
March 26, 2009 - 14:34 ET by XJ.JonDon't expect live coverage of the troops returning. The editors will have to get rid of the green in all their faces as BHO takes as much credit as he can for a successful "Contingency". Instead, their will be live coverage of the Parade honoring BHO, possibly honoring him more than the troops.
→ OCO
March 26, 2009 - 20:43 ET by Cool ArrowIsn't OCO also shorthand for Carbon Dioxide?
LYDSEXICS UNTIE!
NBC Nightly News with Brian
March 26, 2009 - 21:43 ET by TN MomNBC Nightly News with Brian Williams may have staff cuts in their graphics dept.
March ratings are in: NBC came in behind Univision. Fewer than 5 million viewers...While Fox grew 33%.
The writing is on the wall; NBC will fall!!!!!!!!!!
We must not let these Obama language fascists prevail!
March 26, 2009 - 22:07 ET by CKA in Red State USAWe must not.
We must continue at every turn to throw reality back into their cowardly faces.
It's becoming clearer and clearer the extent to which Obama and his robots are cowards, disrespectful cowards.
Perhaps they're trying to recreate "1984" in chapter and verse here?
Whatever, we must not let them steal our language along with our freedoms.
We must not.
As Orwell said in 1946 in "Politics and the English Language," "Political language — and with variations this is true of all political parties, from Conservatives to Anarchists — is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind."
He also said this, which seems particularly fitting to Barack Hussein Obama: "When one watches some tired hack on the platform mechanically repeating the familiar phrases . . . one often has a curious feeling that one is not watching a live human being but some kind of dummy . . .
"A speaker who uses that kind of phraseology has gone some distance toward turning himself into a machine.
"The appropriate noises are coming out of his larynx, but his brain is not involved, as it would be if he were choosing his words for himself.
"If the speech he is making is one that he is accustomed to make over and over again, he may be almost unconscious of what he is saying . . ."
Hail, Obama the Dummy! Hail, Obama the Unconscious! Hail, Obama the Machine!
But we must not let this theif steal our language.
Roosevelt's speech before Congress Dec 8th 1941 --- REVISED!
March 27, 2009 - 02:23 ET by JWFYesterday, December 7, 1941—a date which will live in infamy—the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately slapped with a waffle by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.
The United States was at peace with that nation and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its Government and its Emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific.
Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced molecularly separating Oahu, the Japanese Ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered to the Secretary of State a formal reply to a recent American message. While this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of contingency operations or meaniness by manmade disasters.
It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the meaniness was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time, the Japanese Government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace. The meaniness yesterday on the Hawaiian Islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. Very many American lives have been dealt a bad day. In addition, American ships have been reported let fill with water on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu.
Yesterday the Japanese Government also launched a meaniness against Malaya.
Last night Japanese forces slapped with a waffle Hong Kong.
Last night Japanese forces slapped with a waffle Guam.
Last night Japanese forces slapped with a waffle the Philippine Islands.
Last night the Japanese slapped with a waffle Wake Island. This morning the Japanese slapped with a waffle Midway Island.
Japan has, therefore, undertaken a meaniness offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our nation.
As Commander in Chief of the army and navy I have directed that we try very very hard.
Always will we remember the character of the parade of not nicedness against us.
No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated coming ashore without our permission, the American people in their righteous might will try our best through to absolute end of contingency operations. I believe I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only be nice to the uttermost but will make very certain that this form of un-niceness shall never endanger us again.
A not nice situation exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger.
With confidence in our armed forces—with the unbounding determination of our people—we will gain the inevitable happy endings—so help us God. I ask that the Congress declare that since the really not expected and hurty feelings meaniness by Japan on Sunday, December 7, a state of contingency operation has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire.
Breaking News! The White House just recalled all history books!
March 27, 2009 - 06:31 ET by JWFFor immediate promulgation to all Schools & Universities & textbook publishing offices.
As per a memo from the White House the following events shall be renamed to the approved version only.
Revolutionary war shall be renamed to The voluntary separation of the American Colonies and England
The War of 1812 shall be renamed to The Exigency of 1812
The Mexican-American War shall be renamed to The misunderstanding of Mexico and the misguided Americans
The Civil War shall be renamed to The Fortuity of the attempted separation of some of the wrong-headed states
The Spanish-American War shall be renamed to The Predicament of the Spanish and the misguided Americans
World War I shall be renamed to The Occasion when one group of Nations had an Enventuality with the other group of misguided Nations
World War II shall be renamed to The 2nd Occasion blah blah blah
The Korean War shall be renamed to The Failed Juncture of teh 2 Koreas
The Vietnam War shall be renamed to The Incident Where all the hippies got really mad
Desert Storm shall be renamed to The Opportunity where we used Saddams head for a mop and his butt for a broom
Afghanistan War shall be renamed to What? Where? Give me a map. I can't find it
Operation Iraqi Freedom shall be renamed to Bush's War aka Teh War where Bush Lied and Babies Died aka Teh 2nd Incident where all the hippies got mad
Sincerely,
a Veteran of a 1000 psychic wars.