A Rose By Any Other Name….

The Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) is now over, at least in name. The Washington Post reports that a memo sent ot the Pentagon is suggesting a new moniker:

The Obama administration appears to be backing away from the phrase "global war on terror," a signature rhetorical legacy of its predecessor.

In a memo e-mailed this week to Pentagon staff members, the Defense Department's office of security review noted that "this administration prefers to avoid using the term 'Long War' or 'Global War on Terror' [GWOT.] Please use 'Overseas Contingency Operation.' "

Overseas Contingency Operation? Not very catchy, but words do matter. Think "stimulus" versus "bailout." 

The name change allegedly originated from the Office of Management and Budget, although spokespeople there deny it. 

Whole Post article here. 

Comments

[Taktix?]

I hope they didn't jump the gun on the name change here.

I mean, we still eat Freedom Fries, right?

Or better yet, why don't they change the name to "Happy Plus Fun Time Gun Beach Sand Safari" of something...

[madmikefisk]

"Overseas Contingency Operation" sounds like "oops, we fucked up abroad... time for Plan B!"

...oddly enough, there's a ring of truth to that, even if "Plan B" is really "Plan A, just with a different name, and no State Department people leaking stuff to the NYT this time".

[Xeones]

I'm with madmike. Dubious bullshit by any other name still smells like dubious bullshit.

[TofuSushi]

See? Obama ended the war, just like he promised and ahead of schedule.

No more enemy combatants either.

[Mad Max]

'even if "Plan B" is really "Plan A, just with a different name, and no State Department people leaking stuff to the NYT this time".'

Does The Who get royalties every time the Obama administration shows it's the same as the prior administration, with only cosmetic changes?

[TofuSushi]

Does The Who get royalties every time the Obama administration shows it's the same as the prior administration, with only cosmetic changes?

Cosmetic? HA! You call ending a war cosmetic?

[Episiarch]

"Overseas Clusterfuck Operation"

[TofuSushi]

Episiarch,

Why do you hate Change we can believe in so much?

[SugarFree]

"Operation Sunk Costs Fallacy"

[Art-P.O.G.]

I have a "Global War on Terrorism Service Medal" (like everyone else that was in the Military after 9/11)...so, I mean, the name's still around.

"Overseas Contingency Operation Service Medal" doesn't sound as good anyway.

[Episiarch]

"Operation Domo-kun"

[Art-P.O.G.]

It should be Contingency Operations Service Medal, Overseas (C.O.S.M.O). Suits me well 😉

[Reinmoose]

Think "stimulus" versus "bailout."

I can do one better: "economic recovery"

Now for this international conflict resolution plan... I'm very pleased that we've stopped being at war, which is destructive, and started with this program to rebuild freedom in the middle east.

[SugarFree]

"Overseas Contingency Operation Service Medal" doesn't sound as good anyway.

They could just call it the Euphemism Award then give them serially. Euphemism 1 Award, Euphemism 2 Award, Euphemism 3 Award, Euphemism 4 Award, Euphemism 5 Award, Euphemism 5 Award, etc.

And it would do nicely to stimulate the military medal sector of the economy.

[JP]

Sounds like something Robert McNamara would come up with. "The President has requested $1 billion in additional funding for overseas contingency operations in Southeast Asia."

* * *
Instead, how about Operation Iron Man?

[Art-P.O.G.]

They could just call it the Euphemism Award then give them serially.

I wish I got to name this sort of stuff. I'd create names like Operation Sleepy Faun or Operation Insolent Jabberwocky. Alas, my talents go largely unrecognized.

[Episiarch]

Operation CASE NIGHTMARE GREEN?

[SugarFree]

Operation Sleepy Faun

Exactly. Think of the terror an ambiguous name like that would inspire in the enemy. What is the Sleepy Faun? A weapon? The result of a weapon? A tactic? An anagram for "Unsafe Yelp"?

[Jerry]

Obama really is the redefiner in chief.

[TofuSushi]

More farms. Less arms.

[Pro Libertate]

I think we should name it after a pop song of some sort, playing it softly in the background whenever the topic is discussed. Therefore, I suggest "Operation Rock the Casbah." Or, maybe, "Operation In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida."

[Reinmoose]

"Operation Rock the Casbah."

"Operation Barack the Casbah?"

[Art-P.O.G.]

What is the Sleepy Faun? A weapon? The result of a weapon? A tactic? An anagram for "Unsafe Yelp"?

In the absence of any evidence, it's always best to assume it's a Sinister Mind Control Experiment.

[Art-P.O.G.]

"Operation Barack the Casbah?"

***groans

[SugarFree]

"Operation Vangelis" and we have the Blade Runner soundtrack running. And then we end every press conference about it with "If only you could see what I've seen with your eyes!" just to freak them out.

[Blue]

But we are still at war with Eastasia, right?

[Episiarch]

"Operation Weasels Ripped My Flesh"

[Art-P.O.G.]

But we are still at war with Eastasia, right?

There has always been conflict in WestAsia. Oh, wait...

[Warty]

"Operation Gokkun"

[tired dog]

But does the 'GLOBAL STRUGGLE AGAINST VIOLENT EXTREMISM' go on?

[Art-P.O.G.]

Warty, that wiki was put over the top by the illustration. Really, now... 😀

[R C Dean]

Overseas Contingency Operation

Just the kind of semantically null euphemism I would expect from the Parsin' Administration.

Operation CASE NIGHTMARE GREEN?

Sweet. I just started reading The Jennifer Morgue. Very amusing.

It should be Contingency Operations Service Medal, Overseas (C.O.S.M.O)

I think we have a threadwinner.

[Fin Fang Foom]

Sounds very "state of emergency."

[Pro Libertate]

Say, just what is the "contingency" referring to, anyway?

[R C Dean]

Say, just what is the "contingency" referring to, anyway?

The overseas operation, of course. C'mon, Pro Lib. Try to keep up.

[Bronwyn]

I don't think we're talking about sweet-smelling roses, here.

A stink flower by any other name...

That would be more fitting, methinks.

[Pro Libertate]

Okay, I'm working through this--bear with me. Is the operation still happening, or is it contingent on some event happening? Like another terrorist attack?

[db]

Somebody please come up with a good word beginning in 'L' with which the phrase "Overseas Contingency Operation" can be prefixed, such that we can speak officially of "Operation LOCO" when referring to the GWOT.

"liberal" and "libertarian" are out of bounds.

[?]

Letarded.

[Pro Libertate]

Localized? Limited? Lethargic?

[Pro Libertate]

Luminous? Lactating? Lofty?

[Pro Libertate]

Lackadaisical? Lubricated? Lobotomized? Lacking?

[jtuf]

It's not denial. It's displacement. There's still the Missouri study claiming that Libertarians and Constitutionalists might be domestic terrorists. It's going to be a long 4 years.

[crimethink]

Say, just what is the "contingency" referring to, anyway?

The countries we invade don't have to pay us unless we win money for them.

[wingnutx]

We already used the term contingency operations as a general term to describe overseas ops that depart from the routine. For example, "contingency operations in support of Policy XYZ".

Now I guess we'll be getting order for a contingency operation in support of CONTINGENCY OPERATIONS, or some damn thing.

Orwellian renaming aside, this is just stupid.