The first 2 words of anything the American government wants to erradicate, but knows the population won't back unless it sounds important, so it becomes "a war on XXX".

Intelligence agency term for "psychological operation". A government or corporate-sponsored operation, usually taking the form of a "terrorist attack" or "crazed gunman on a spree", with the intent of panicking the public into demanding more police and laws inhibiting freedom. Psyops are usually carried out by drugging a civilian or group of civilians with aggression-promoting drugs, psyching them up, arming them, and sending them out to commit mayhem. Government-sponsored terrorism. See also blackshirts, conspiracy

Ridiculous and often impossible/implausible attempt to eliminate a problem, esp. used in government referring to problematic affaires du jour.

Often hyphenated. The rush of blood to the heads of members of the Bush Administration and other Republicans when stimulated by talk of preemptive strikes or other unnecessary military action.

bush policy, everything is a war on something

(from "War On" war on terror, the war on crime, the war on drugs) as a new word meaning "expensive, futile endeavor"

A synonym of "stupid excuse to spend public money on nothing and gain votes by apprearing to address the problem of".