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Saturday, May 3, 2008 12:00 AM

Fred Hiatt on the noble glories of occupation

The Washington Post editorialist says that mere airstrikes are bad because they result in civilian deaths, cause displacement and aid al-Qaida recruitment. Therefore, we should invade and occupy countries instead.

Glenn Greenwald

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Saturday, May 3, 2008 11:17 AM

One bouquet and one brickbat for Glenn

I'm with Glenn on this (especially because I am not a USAian but a Brit, and I have never subscribed to Salon or otherwise contributed anything to its welfare, except the occasional compliment) : "If the Air Force wants to finance anti-war commentary, more power to them." I have something from USAF via PRWeb on my blog, congratulating themselves on "the millionth mission in the War Against Terror." It's so sick, it's funny. Hence my caption, "Brickbats and Bouquets," which is a reference to Joseph Heller's "Catch 22."

But I also agree with the commentator who pointed out that "internal displacement" is Pentagon-speak for USAF-created refugee masses. It's hard not to internalise one or two of their turns of phrase, because they are designed exactly to slip under your semantic radar.

—Rowan Berkeley Read Rowan Berkeley's other letters

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