Sunday, June 18, 2006
THE BRANDING OF WAR
I suppose my position on war is well documented by now; I loathe it. Unfortunately there are times when war is a necessity. I supported the invasion of Afghanistan, and the multi-national response in Kosovo. I do not now, nor have I ever felt that the invasion of Iraq was a necessity. Iraq, Vietnam - these are vanity wars.
What makes me ill, and embarrassed, is the recent trend in branding war. It seems that sometime back during the Bush Senior administration somebody hired a marketing firm, and 'Operation: Desert Storm' was born. Now we have 'Operation Enduring Freedom', and 'Operation Iraqi Freedom'. It makes one want to vomit.
And then there's the wearing out of certain phrases, and not only by our President. Words like 'Freedom' and 'Evil Doer' are being tossed around at such a rate that they risk the loss of any meaning at all.
War is hell. Let's not dress it up - let's call it what it is.
I suppose my position on war is well documented by now; I loathe it. Unfortunately there are times when war is a necessity. I supported the invasion of Afghanistan, and the multi-national response in Kosovo. I do not now, nor have I ever felt that the invasion of Iraq was a necessity. Iraq, Vietnam - these are vanity wars.
What makes me ill, and embarrassed, is the recent trend in branding war. It seems that sometime back during the Bush Senior administration somebody hired a marketing firm, and 'Operation: Desert Storm' was born. Now we have 'Operation Enduring Freedom', and 'Operation Iraqi Freedom'. It makes one want to vomit.
And then there's the wearing out of certain phrases, and not only by our President. Words like 'Freedom' and 'Evil Doer' are being tossed around at such a rate that they risk the loss of any meaning at all.
War is hell. Let's not dress it up - let's call it what it is.
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