Proponents of the War on Terror
Proponents in the War on Terror debate commonly support the cause because they believe the government will be able to end terrorism through the effort. It has been shown that ending terrorism is nearly impossible and many people feel, in fact, that the world is less safe since the invasion of Iraq.
Opponents of the War on Terror
Critics in the War on Terror debate commonly charge that it has been exploited by governments to reduce civil liberties and take away basic human rights. Many argue that the term war is not appropriately used in this context since there is no one enemy. Ken McDonald, the Director of Public Prosecutions in the United Kingdom, has stated that those responsible for terrorist attacks like the London Bombings are not, in fact, soldiers. Thus, they should be dealt with through the criminal justice system, not through military action.
One other problem with the War on Terror is the lack of agreement on the very definition of terrorism. Some who are labeled terrorists in one nation may be considered freedom fighters in another. In fact, citizens of Iran and Venezuela commonly use the work "terrorism" to describe the actions of the United States during the War.
Some also believe that the War on Terror is very inefficient in achieving its goals. In a 2005 paper, an Oxford Group showed that the Al Qaeda was still alive and active, despite efforts of American forces. George Bush pledged that the War on Terror would not end until every global terrorist group had been found and defeated. This initially rallied support for the war, but upon further examination proved to be rather unrealistic and seems to denote a perpetual war.