Friendly GWOT Criticism

Roger Cohen features the opinion of Norwegian foreign minister Jonas Gahr Store in a recent column.

The Norwegians are our friends and fellow NATO allies, but they have a different opinion on the Global War on Terrorism. I don't agree with Foreign Minister Store, but I respect his opinion because it is a cogent and charitable critique our strategy. Here are a couple of excerpts:

Norway’s message to the United States is blunt: the next administration, whether headed by Barack Obama or John McCain, should pronounce the war on terror over. Because it has tended to isolate the United States, polarize the world, inflate the enemy, conflate diverse movements and limit scope for dialogue, its time has passed.

Engaging, he insisted, does not mean lowering of requirements. It can be a means to set yardsticks, hold interlocutors accountable, and probe their thinking while surrendering nothing.

“Part of this ideology of the war on terror has been the United States doing things by themselves,” he said. “Now we in Europe and Norway must expect to be more actively engaged by Washington.” That will bring demands as well as opportunities.

I wish our childish politicians in this country could express their disagreements like Mr. Store does.