Oh, every now and then it seems like an obligation to keep our readers on top of the definitions that define our new veterans.
For those who have not followed the DOD name game, our veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan are officially GWOT’s. They are veterans of the Global War on Terror. The curious thing about this terminology is that it has no geographic base or locale. Kinda creepy in some respects. It is as if we know that the War On Terror, which will never need to be officially declared as a war, will just go on ad infinitum. George Orwell would have a hey day with this terminology.
What is the next step; the Global Cosmic War? Will we always be protecting the cosmos on our own? Do our allies call themselves GWOT’s? I do not know.
The other moniker that is new is the redefining of Iraqi Freedom. Seven years after we launched our “liberation,” of Iraq, the U.S. campaign in Iraq has been renamed, “Operation New Dawn.” The new name will start to be used in September. Curious eh? Why September? Is that when school starts in Tekrit?
Defense secretary Robert Gates tells us that the revised code name will, “recognize our evolving relationship with the government of Iraq.” I suspect this is code talk for our permanent presence in the cradle of civilization. They gave us Algebra the first time around. I wonder what we will be gifted this time? Surely not oil.
Doublespeak examples;
Collateral damage–civilian deaths
transfer tube–body bag
wet work–assasination
balanced scientists–biased science
aerial ordinance–bombs
ally–vasal state or colony
ally–vasal state or colony
Mike, who do you think are America’s “allies,” according to your definition, nowadays?
Interesting bit of history: at one point the term “GWOT” fell out of favor within the DOD. I was an Operations Officer for the Joint Chiefs of Staff’s “Global War On Terror” Intelligence Task Force in the Pentagon. We remained the “GWOT ITF” throughout much of the SOF and conventional forces ground campaign in Afghanistan in 2001.
Then, in early 2002, SECDEF Rumsfeld directed that we drop the word “Global” from the name. Apparently it made it sound like we were out to conquer the world, when in fact we were focused on the CENTCOM AOR (Afghanistan, India/Pakistan and Iraq).
Personally, I thought that was a mistake. At the time, the DOD was tracking terrorist groups in the Phillippines, Horn of Africa, Indonesia (the Bali bombings didn’t happen until 2003) and Chechnya. Sure sounded like a Global War to me.
Also—who wants to work for a “WOT ITF?”
our veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan are officially GWOT’s. They are veterans of the Global War on Terror.
I’d like to nominate the following additions to that group of “GWOT veterans” our troops helping combat the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group in the Phillippines; our troops in the Horn of Africa; the US advisors in Georgia (the former USSR state, NOT the US Southern state); the US forces assisting the Colombian government; the many, many Soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coasties keeping our borders and Ports of Entry safe and secure; and the others I’ve assuredly missed.