Uncle G brings out the treatment of Daniel Pearl and the treatment of US soldiers in Mogadishu as evidence that our enemies are vile. Well, yeah. They are. So? In World War II the Germans massacred entire towns of civillians that got in their way and systematically murdered* millions of prisoners. Does that mean we then had permission, or the moral high ground, to torture captured German soldiers?

As far as euphisms go, this debate reminds me that about 80 years ago, whenever a mob of thugs would lynch a bunch of black people, newspapers of the day would sometimes find an ingenious way to avoid calling it a lynching, and cerytainly not call it a mass murder or a pogram. The rationale was that if any of the black people defended themselves in the course of the horrors, the newspapers would then call it "a riot," inferring that it was as even as the two teams at a football game.

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*Excuse me: the euphism should be "relocated to the east"

Obama's Afghan war begins

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 09:27

US Marines launched a major offensive into the Taliban heartlands of southern Afghanistan before dawn on Thursday as President Barack Obama's new war plan swung into action.

With dozens of aircraft ferrying out troops from various bases, the assault aimed to insert forces into insurgent strongholds in Helmand province in what officers said was the biggest offensive airlift by the Marines since Vietnam.

Operation Khanjar (Strike of the Sword), involving nearly 4000 US forces as well as 650 Afghan police and soldiers, would bring security to the Helmand River valley ahead of presidential elections on 20 August, commanders aid.

It was the Marines' first major operation since they deployed over the past few months as part of 21 000 US reinforcements pledged by Obama in a revised US strategy to turn the tide on a dragging conflict with the Taliban.

A fleet of helicopters lifted about 300 soldiers from a camp called Dwyer at dawn with their commander confident they would have cleared a key road, secured a bridge and met with villagers by evening.

"I told my men everything they have done to prepare for this operation means they are ready to go," said Captain Junwei Sun (39), commanding officer of 2/8 Battalion's Fox company

... more at sig

Since torture is now called "enhanced interrogation" by the neo-Orwellians; what are we to call what is going on in Afghanistan? I would call it "war", but others here may not like that stark term and prefer something more soothing. What shall it be called then?

Whatever the term is to be called, "war" or "enhanced obedience enforcement", I will tell you to expect prisoners on both sides of the conflict as that is what happens in these "enhanced force engagements". Will the USA torture prisoners in the field? If you say no, how do you know?

Will the Taliban use torture? If so, what will our press call it?

If anyone would like to view the segment Glenn refers to, you can find it here: http://www.comedycentral.com/videos/index.jhtml?videoId=114421&title=kerry-controversy

As hard as it is to make sense of Shepard's many pirouettes in the matter of NPR's refusal to call torture torture, there are some intriguing indications that she's not actually all that far from Glenn's position and that of many of the posters here and at the various NPR sites that have accumulated comments on the topic.

In her interview with Bob Garfield, for example, she agreed that by using a certain set of euphemisms for torture, NPR was taking sides -- the side of Bush administration pricipals, operatives and flacks. She doesn't agree with that; she doesn't think NPR should be taking sides. Though she won't expressly say it, the implication is that she doesn't think that NPR should be using the universally employed mass media euphemisms for torture, nor should they use the 't-word'. Instead, as she says many times in all her columns and interviews, NPR should simply describe the actions without "characterizing" them. Thus, NPR should avoid using the 't-word' as well.

You can agree or disagree with that position, but it seems to me that it is not an endorsement of either NPR's style manual on the topic or the Bush regime's demands. I think I erred in accusing her of endorsing NPR's position and the Bush regime's position. According to her own statements, she doesn't endorse either one. She agrees that NPR is taking the Bush regime's "side", and she doesn't go along with it.

She claims she's in a "no win" position, and she is. But I'd say she does "get" the argument against NPR's use of Bush regime euphemisms for torture, and she agrees with that argument.

She even agrees (personally) that waterboarding is torture.

(Unfortunately, so is reading her columns and listening to her ramblings. On-air and print journalism are not her forte. I guess what they say about those who "teach" must be true. [Ducks.])

Does assassination then become "accelerated graveyard delivery" simply because some political factions say so?

While I like your euphemism better, I think the EIT folks would find it still a bit too, um direct, iykwim.

Something along the lines of, "enhanced lifespan achievement", otoh, captures the quintessence of "reward" and "deserved recognition" that they consider essential to furthering the gentility and tastefulness of their circumlocutory "debate".

If the mainstream media ever sheds the incestuous relationship with the elite in this country it will be because of REAL journalist like you or the likes of Dan Froomkin. Who have the courage to call out their colleagues. Just want to say thanks the effort is very appreciated and that is why I come here day after day.

Your choice between a lapdance and a massage is a false dichotomy!

Then I'm having a discussion one day with my republican sister and she starts comparing Franken to Limbaugh. How they are both incendiary, mean, and twist facts to prove their case.

My condolences. I have this affliction in my family as well.

I take great pleasure in reminding them that it will be a very cold day in hell, though, before Rush Limbaugh will ever be addressed with the title Senator.