War language...choice of words ('pacify') becoming ominous...

[MnFats]

heard some military spokesman this morning assert that Fallujah had to be "pacified."

older DUers, how long has it been since you heard that word in a war context. For me, it's been since Vietnam.

this use of 'pacify' usually means 'flatten' or 'kill every living thing.'

who around here remembers "We had to destroy the village in order to save it."

I fear we are not far from that, again, in this war.

also: a lot of soldiers are being killed and wounded. we have young men over there who may not be using their full faculties and will seek revenge on whoever's handy.
this happened in vietnam. it's up to leaders among troops on the ground, and mid=level leaders, to see that the Geneva convention rules are followed. if those officers drop the hint that 'payback' is ok, all hell will break loose. then the other side will retaliate in kind, and....can you say 'quagmire?'

[bobbieinok]

1. heard 'light at the end of the tunnel' yet???

[Ysabel]

2. "casualties"...

another stupid war word...

like "real laid back and relaxed" - "real casual like"...

uh - yeah - like dead...

with such ease and casual-ness - the way they use these words...

[Endangered Specie]

3. "hurt"...

Instead of Wounded, or say, permanent damage, missing parts etc is NOT being hurt.

[mouse7]

4. Vietnamspeak: Pacify equals cluster bombs and napalm

I hope to God we've learned a little something since then... but it doesn't look like it.