Media War Phrases...?

[pss1]

I think that this might just be me but is anyone else sick to death of every war correspondent and Blairite politician using the 'battle for hearts and minds' phrase. It's really beginning to annoy me; yesterday on the Today prog on Radio 4 they'd used the sodding phrase about 8 times in 15 mins How about 'the propaganda war' or 'winning the backing of the Iraqi population' ANYTHING but sodding 'hearts and minds'

Whilst I'm on this why does everyone refer to Saddam Hussein as 'Saddam' He's NOT your 'best mate Saddam, who you have a few beers and arrows with down the pub.' Lets look at some examples Hitler, Stalin, Pinochet NOT Adolf, Joseph and Augusto... sodding Blairite crap

[deltaf]

Weapons of mass destruction pisses me off. Why dont they just saw wmd's? for christ sake?
One that made me giggle was "shoot and scoot".

[size13]

I think the phrase "American intelligence" is a little over used and a lie!

[g4ry13]

How about "encountering pockets of resistance"?

They've been saying that for the last week, they haven't even taken over Basra because they're still encountering pockets of resistance in Basra which they invaded about 12 days ago.

[CarZee]

I've stopped observing TV war coverage.. it's repetitive propaganda with no useful information content whatsoever and half a dozen once stout clichés worn so thin you can see thru the feckin things..

[Rotaree]

I think they refer to 'Saddam' as opposed to 'Hussein' because Arab names are back to front compared to ours i.e. 'Hussein' is what his mates(!) would know him by. I'm prepared to be corrected though!

[LRdriver]

I think its one big act taking place in the nevada desert ala the moonlandings (filmed in a big hangar in area 51)

"This war brought to you by NBC and our sponsors CocaCola.."

[plotloss]

Shoot and scoot sounds like something Mungo would do.

When referring to convoys of equipment they say 'Columns'. Personally I feel 'caravan' would be a much more amusing choice.

Matt.

[MikeyT]

My favourite is:

America is trying to win the war - but must also win the peace ...

Usually said by a John Simpson-type as their last bit before handing back to the studio (for full effect)

[mrsd]

LRdriver said: I think its one big act taking place in the nevada desert ala the moonlandings (filmed in a big hangar in area 51)

"This war brought to you by NBC and our sponsors CocaCola.."

Would that that were the case

BTW when it was suggested to Buzz Aldrin, at a booksigning, that the landings were faked he (aged 72) lamped the person making the suggestion breaking their nose

[tvrbob]

Me thinks 'win hearts & minds' is american for bomb the b*****ds
have a nice day now!

[pss1]

tvrbob said: Me thinks 'win hearts & minds' is american for bomb the b*****ds
have a nice day now!

I like it!

[rich 36]

Smoke billowing across the desert, from an oil filled ditch, was this morning described as
"an obscufation for our troops" by a royal engineer no less. Moreover he explained that his troops were
"installing matter, with bulldozers, to put out fires"
That'l be sand then ?

[raceboy]

They want to send the FireBrigade out there

[rich 36]

no water, no pay rise, can just see it now
"ere sarge, there no water for the engine!
never mind sonny, grab those buckets and form a line to that sand dune, right and fill bucket-pass-it-on
-fill bucket....

[tvrbob]

Pockets of resistance = new denim jeans
Iraq civilians = pockets of resistance
Win the war, but must also win the peace = shoot the pockets of resistance but smile as well
Smoke billowing across the desert = shot those pockets of resistance
War is taking longer than expected = more pockets of resistance to shoot
Friendly fire = yanks fu*king it up as usual

And for the Republican Guard

White flag = don’t shoot anymore
Bush = man with vengeance on his mind
Blair = Bushpuppy a shoe with a difference

[swilly]

"Fear and Awe"

and i loved the news clip showing the US General addressing the troops on a carrier, striding on to the stage to the sound of Queen "We will rock you"

Hollywood film in the making....gedda fcuk outta here!!!!

>> Edited by swilly on Thursday 3rd April 13:13

[atg]

I don't have a problem with phrases like "hearts and minds" when they are used by the military. It's part of a precise technical language that is used by a particular group of professionals, just like lawyers use particular expressions or phrases, same in the City, same in I.T. "Hearts and minds" is not a new idea or expression. The classic use of the SAS was to fight "hearts and minds" campaigns in order to stop insurgents or revolutionaries from getting support from local populations. Sneak in, befriend the locals, give basic medical care, gather intelligence, ambush and attack the enemy. It's why the SAS required good language skills.

What gets up my nose is the pig ignorance of so many of the journalists. The quality of the "analysis" is laughable. They can't even ask sensible questions at the press conferences. Half of these sessions seem to turn into a basic introductory lecture on military tactics and strategy. Things are always going "faster than expected" or "slower than expected" ... expected by who??? "Sources" ... OK.

[pss1]

atg said: I don't have a problem with phrases like "hearts and minds" when they are used by the military. It's part of a precise technical language that is used by a particular group of professionals, just like lawyers use particular expressions or phrases, same in the City, same in I.T. "Hearts and minds" is not a new idea or expression. The classic use of the SAS was to fight "hearts and minds" campaigns in order to stop insurgents or revolutionaries from getting support from local populations. Sneak in, befriend the locals, give basic medical care, gather intelligence, ambush and attack the enemy. It's why the SAS required good language skills.

Yep, don't mind the military using it in their private sort of way. However, when wringy-hands, nodding, grinning tw@t boy in number 10 and mindless press-bods use it until I smash my radio, that's when I object

[MilnerR]

Heard friendly fire referred to as "an uncoordinated release of ordinance"

F***ing right it is !!