Obama’s defense guidance explicitly continued the war on terror after bin Laden

Evidence

In short, Obama intended to continue the war on terror on non-state actors through surveillance as well as drone attacks and the use of Special Operations Forces. … This stood in stark contrast to polls in Egypt, Jordan, and Turkey, where disapproval ranged from 81 to 89 percent. — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 507 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

In 2012, Obama’s Defense Strategic Guidance document, titled “Sustaining U.S. Global Leadership: Priorities for 21st Century Defense,” refocused US foreign policy and its military structure. It made clear that the United States will continue to fight against “violent extremists,” even though the assassination of bin Laden has diminished al-Qaeda. As the report states, “its affiliates remain active in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Yemen, Somalia, and elsewhere”; the US military will “monitor” these groups and strike “the most dangerous groups and individuals when necessary.” In short, Obama would continue the War on Terror on nonstate actors through surveillance, but also through drone attacks and the use of Special Operations Forces. — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 433 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

His presidency began with much optimism and concluded with the bitter realization that Obama did not put an end to the war on terror launched by his predecessor, but mutated, modernized, and marched it forward. With a fresh new face, rhetorical smoke signals, and the pacifying effect afforded by his racial identity and strategic deployment of progressive ideas and language, the war on terror was craftily pushed forward for another eight years under the Obama administration, and Islamophobia swelled right alongside of it. — Khaled A. Beydoun, American Islamophobia_ Understanding…, 329 (#expands, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Obama’s defense guidance continued the War on Terror via drones and special forces — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 433; Obama continued the War on Terror with rhetoric rather than swords — Khaled A. Beydoun, The New Crusades_ Islamophobia and the…, 296; Obama legitimized and expanded the war on terror, not reversed it (+3 more)

Broader Connections

• Obama’s defense guidance continued the War on Terror via drones and special forces #corroborates (0.92) — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 433
• Obama’s rebranded war on terror kept drone and special-forces targeting against Muslims #corroborates (0.92) — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 507
• Obama legitimized and expanded the war on terror, not reversed it #corroborates (0.90)
• Obama’s presidency mutated and advanced rather than ended the war on terror #expands (0.90) — Khaled A. Beydoun, American Islamophobia_ Understanding…, 329
• Obama’s conciliatory rhetoric masked continued drone and surveillance warfare #expands (0.78) — Khaled A. Beydoun, The New Crusades_ Islamophobia and the…, 299
• Obama continued the War on Terror with rhetoric rather than swords #expands (0.75) — Khaled A. Beydoun, The New Crusades_ Islamophobia and the…, 296