Many years ago, my English teacher stressed to her students that “words matter.” As we close out 2008, as we reflect back on over seven years since 9/11 and about the same number of years since our major response to terror around the globe, I am convinced she was right. Words matter.

Shortly after 9/11 and the devastating attacks on New York, the Pentagon and an empty field in Pennsylvania, I started referring to America’s response as WWT or World War on Terrorism. One of my early columns for this site was in October 2001, titled “WWT …World War on Terrorism.” I also used this phraseology on the set at WRAL and WRAZ when commenting on America’s response to global terrorism.

Over this same time frame, elected leaders and the leadership at the Pentagon often referred to a “Global War on Terror.” Somewhere along the way, politicians, pundits, the media and military leaders started talking about America’s fighting men...

According to The Wall Street Journal, the Federal Communications Commission has sent letters of inquiry to former military officers and several television networks to determine whether they violated the law when the officers offered views of the Iraq war during network appearances.

U.S. Reps. John Dingell, D-Mich., and Rosa DeLaura, D-Conn., forwarded a letter to the FCC and voiced their concerns that these retired military officers failed to note on air their ties to the administration and that they had been receiving briefings from Pentagon officials as to the status of the war in Iraq and elsewhere. There is a presumption here that they were being fed the party line and that the Pentagon expected it to be the basis for the retired officers on air commentary.

Dingell and DeLaura also noted that many of the retired officers were “simultaneously representing more than 150 companies competing for billions in Pentagon contracts.” By law, apparently, the network...

America’s longtime partner in the Global War on Terror is acting somewhat less like a partner these days.

This week, there were more reports, some of which were validated by the Defense Department, that Pakistani military units were firing on our U.S. aircraft near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. That doesn’t strike me as partnership.

Following a major political shakeup earlier this year and a new leadership element in Pakistan, there have been increased reasons for concern – as there has been for years. But with the recent suicide bombing of the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad and the scores of deaths and injuries in that attack, along with the firing on U.S. aircraft along the ill-defined border with Afghanistan, there is increased anxiety on the part of our national leadership. Just how stable is the new Pakistani administration, and are they able to cope with their internal and external security?

To me, the overall concern must be a nuclear concern....

As we all know too well, there are two U.S. senators vying for the world’s toughest and most demanding job – president of the United States of America. They are campaigning all over the country 24/7 as they approach election day on Nov. 4.

Their arduous schedules are demanding, tiring and continuous. There is no letup in this marathon race to the White House. Different audiences, different cities, different messages all along the way. But none of that is anywhere near the demanding schedule the victor will inherit on 20 January 2009.

Imagine going to the office – Oval Office in this case – each day confronted with satisfying some 300 million citizens of your own country and then dealing with the leaders of nearly 200 other countries around the globe. Nearly all of which look to the United States for leadership. Here at home, you are straddled with an anemic economy, a credit and housing crisis, immigration, education and health issues of...

At least according to one senior U.S. military officer in Iraq, the end is in sight. This week, we are getting word that the United States and Iraq have reached an understanding on a time line for the withdrawal of U.S. and coalition forces from Iraq.

Although the tentative agreement would still require approval from President Bush and the Iraqi Parliament and government, there does seem to be more clarity to an end date than we have seen previously. Clearly, the situation on the ground will always have an impact, but we are now seeing a sense that the Iraqi government and the Iraqi Army will soon be able to provide their own security for much of the country and will rely less and less on the coalition forces.

The tentative agreement as reported by the media would have Iraqis responsible for security in all of the major cities by the summer of 2009. It also calls for the withdrawal of nearly all U.S. forces by the end of 2011. This clearly indicates some significant improvements...

Could it happen again? A brief review of history and the origins of World War I, as well as the Soviet incursions into East European countries in the 1950s and '60s, contains some ominous signs in the 21st century. As I write this column, Russia is “offensively” –with a couple of meanings here – engaged in an attack, looting, destruction and occupation of the small, neighboring, democratic country of Georgia.

For the past five years, Georgia has been a growing democratic nation fully aligned with the West and seeking membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. As one of the former 15 republics which made up the Soviet Union, Georgia lies geographically adjacent to the large Russian Bear to the west and north. One of Georgia’s provinces, South Ossetia, is more inclined to Russian than Georgian rule. South Ossetia has a large Russian ethnic population and has been basically self-governing for the past decade and has refused to accept Georgia’s...

Want a job? Want an education? Want a career? Want exceptional benefits and a potentially excellent retirement package? If you answered yes to any, many, or all of these questions, please read on.

Your U.S. Army and Marines especially, and the other services, reserves and National Guard as well, are looking for bright, healthy, young men and women to join their ranks. Please note up front that I am not making an urgent appeal because of any recruiting troubles. In fact, all of the active duty services and reserve elements are doing quite well.

In June, the latest available statistics, all of the active duty components – Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force – met or exceeded their monthly goals by recruiting over 20,300 young men and women. The reserve components – Army, Navy, Marine and Air Force Reserves, along with the Army and Air Force National Guard – recruited another nearly 12,000 members. While the Army Reserve recruiters fell short by a...

Much has been said, written and reported on the many successes of the “surge” of forces in Iraq initiated in 2007. The additional ground forces have made a significant difference, and as reported, the surge forces have been and are returning stateside from the conflict in Iraq. We are now hearing of the potential of an even greater drawdown of ground forces later this year and into 2009. All of this is great news!

What hasn’t been reported on is something akin to a “top-down look” at the surge. Maybe we should call it an aerial view – and even more specifically, an Air Force view. While clearly there was a dramatic increase in ground forces and the concomitant ground successes, there has also been a significant surge in aerial activity.

In fact, there has been an incredible surge in air power activity. For example, the number of aerial sorties (flights) is up by 85 percent. Air strikes are up over 400 percent, with an increase in ordnance...

It is simply too tough as an American citizen – and as a retired military officer – to sit idly by in this wild and wacky political season. So I won’t. I am gravely concerned that politics is forcing our candidates for high office to make some alarming statements without fully appreciating their impact on our citizenry and our friends and enemies abroad.

Consider this: Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican candidate for the presidency, says it would be OK with him for us to remain in Iraq for 100 years. He clarified this statement by adding “as long as there were no American casualties.” And frankly, that may be the case – 100 years. After all, we have been in Germany and Japan for over 60 years already following World War II, and there is no likelihood that will change anytime soon. Imagine the impact of this statement abroad if not carrying the qualifying phrase. Here at home, McCain’s comments fired up his liberal opponents and...

Dig down and gas up. Sounds like what we are all talking about these days as gas prices have reached the four bucks a gallon average. To “gas up” our trucks, SUVs and autos, we have to dig down deeply in our pockets to pay at the pump. A quick look back shows that gas prices have jumped 40 percent in the past six months. And it is taking a terrible toll on our national economy, not to mention our individual family budgets.

Most of us have a favorite target to blame for the prices, such as the major oil companies, OPEC countries, etc. While these oil companies and oil-producing nations might share some of the blame, I have my own targets to blame. First, as you drive around each day, look at the abusive manner in which far too many drive – excessive speeds and jack-rabbit starts. These driving habits result in significantly decreased mileage per gallon and contribute to the demand we place on this valuable commodity we call oil. And it is universally accepted...

Hardly anything escapes the politicians waging war these days. While our dedicated troops are waging life and death war on our behalf in Iraq, Afghanistan and dozens of other less-well-known places around the world, our elected leaders are engaging in political war on dozens of issues.

One might think that ensuring our currently serving troops deserve the benefits of a G.I. Bill to further their education would be a no-brainer. And I guess it is. However, in a hotly contested political year when nothing is sacred, the two parties are squaring off on just how much and how soon it is appropriate to grant G.I. Bill privileges to our troops.

Few, if any, would dispute the incredible benefits to our nation that resulted from the G.I. Bill following World War II. In the late 1940s, colleges and universities across the country had a high percentage of their students benefiting from arguably this nation’s finest “thank you” program for returning veterans. In later...

As I wrote late last month, the people of Raleigh and across North Carolina hosted a marvelous tribute to our military men and women and their families with a full day of parades and other activities to show that support.

This month, we all have another chance to show that support. Since 1950, the third Saturday in May has been set aside as Armed Forces Day. And while there are many special events on military installations with open houses, air shows, etc., there are very few other celebrations to recognize our uniformed warriors. This is especially unfortunate in a time of war. And yes, Mr. and Mrs. America, we are at war. While the news from the political season has overshadowed the concerns about the worldwide war on terror and the human suffering across the globe, we are still at war.

In over 100 countries today, our military men and women are serving a greater cause. Almost 200,000 are deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan and are in harm's way 24/7. Others are chasing...

Last Saturday, I was privileged to spend some time in downtown Raleigh and participate in an absolutely incredible event. The entire day, spearheaded by the N.C. Bankers Association, was dedicated to the simple theme of demonstrating North Carolina’s support for our military members and their families.

The hour-long parade was spectacular with about 70 entries. Military members, military equipment , Medal of Honor winners, family members, Rolling Thunder and high school bands all moved smartly along the parade route. They were all warmly and enthusiastically applauded by the estimated 50,000 citizens that chose to spend part of their weekend as a family showing their support for the military “family.”

To many in the crowd, it was a great thrill to witness the flight of four F-15 Strike Eagles from Seymour Johnson AFB flying low and fairly slow up the parade route at precisely their designated time to kick off the parade. As David Crabtree noted, the sight...

Last month marked the five-year point in our nation’s long struggle in Iraq. It has not been easy, cheap or without the loss of life and treasure. But you already knew that.

In the past year, however, we have seen some remarkable successes. The failures and setbacks have been diminished. In spite of the isolated suicide attacks, reluctance of the Iraqi army and police force to aggressively pursue the extremists in their midst, and the Iraqi national government to move more swiftly, there have been many positives.

In fact, the prevailing assessment is that we have now, finally, turned the corner, and the potential for a favorable outcome (read: winning) is certainly achievable. But the naysayers, the anti-war crowd, are still not willing to stay the course. Since it is difficult to not recognize the successes, their mantra now is the “cost” of this war is too great. But what about those dollar costs that cover a wide range of estimates, depending...