Carnal Reason

I continue an earlier post on the use of euphemism and phrasing in news reporting, this time with a beautiful example from Chester. He analyzes an article from Time called Chasing the Ghosts. Chester extracts these phrases. My comments in brackets.

“elusive and inexhaustible enemy”
[The enemy is superhuman; unlike mortals they never tire. Kill them, and they come back to life.]

?”success” is “elusive”
[Were it ever achieved, Time would deny it]

?”inexhaustible enemy emboldened by the US presence”
[Don't make them angry; it will just go harder on us.]

?”gradual . . . erosion” in public support
[Time will continue to work to increase the rate of erosion]

?”millions of Iraqis will vote on a constitution that threatens to further split the country”
[They were much better off under Sadam]

?”beleaguered US mission in Iraq”
[Vietnam]

?”unwinnable military fight”
[Vietnam]

?”series of failures”
[Vietnam]

?”hardened local fighters”
[Vietnam]

?”politically compromised outcome”
[Time will continue to work for further compromise]

?”dangers, dilemmas, and frustrations that still haunt the US in Iraq”
[Can't fight ghosts]

?”temporary tactical gains”
[Disregard any US victories]

?”doubts about whether anything resembling victory can still be achieved”
[Time's objective]

?”powerless to do anything” about atrocities
[Can't fight ghosts]

?”intelligence suggests insurgents are displaying their mettle”
[Those insurgent-minutemen have much more mettle than US forces. See below.]

?”This enemy is not a rabble.”
[They're ghosts; eek, run away]

?”fierce resistance”
[Dude, they're minutemen!]

?”shaken US officer”
[He's terrified, pull that man out of there.]

?”troops . . . embittered”
[They're close to fragging their officers; pull out.]

?”momentum lost”
[and deservedly so]

?”insurgents proving so resiliant”
[They're invincible.]

Chester rightfully asks “Do you really even have to read the article to know what it says?”

I like Rumsfeld’s comment re the same battle: “Last week, for example, the people of Tall Afar were liberated from the grip of insurgents and foreign extremists who had tried to turn the city into a base of planning operations and training. A number of insurgents were caught fleeing the city dressed in women’s clothing — hardly a sign of a confident group supported by the citizenry.”

I heard these guys were fearless, and actually seek death. Dressing up as women and fleeing battle must be martyrdom-lite.

Posted on September 22nd, 2005 by pwyll
Filed under: politics, war