-Caveat Lector-
From
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Print/0,3858,4291086,00.html
}}}>Begin
Analysis
War of words
Simon Jeffery stands shoulder to shoulder with civilisation in a
carefully targeted action against those defaming the English language
during the battle for hearts and minds
Simon Jeffery
Friday November 2, 2001
The Guardian
Broad-based
The present goal of US and British diplomacy is to build a future
broad-based government in Afghanistan and hold together a broad-based
coalition backing military action against the present one. Though
such groupings may prove difficult to hold together, the idea is for
them to be pro-western while retaining credibility with Muslim
leaders and people. (See moderate Arab opinion)
Carefully targeted actions
As in: "these carefully targeted actions are designed to disrupt the
use of Afghanistan as a terrorist base of operations" (Bush, October
7). The "carefully" part is essentially meaningless, since to
carelessly target an
action is to not target it at all - the attack on the World Trade Centre was a
"carefully targeted action". So all it means is that military action will have a
target, which is about the least we could hope for. The inten
tion, of course, is to imply a clean strategy.
Cave
A dwelling that made Osama bin Laden somehow prehistoric and cowardly in the early
stages of the crisis - for example "They hit and run, they hide in caves" (Bush,
September 16) or "We're going to smoke them out of their
caves" (Bush, September 25). But as the war goes on the cave becomes an impenetrable
fortress, demanding the use of heavy munitions such as bunker busters, and locating
Bin Laden is "like looking for a needle in a haystac
k" (Donald Rumsfeld, October 25).
Civilisation
As used by the US historian Samuel Huntingdon, the concept of the "clash of
civilisations" terrifies the allied leadership and they go to great lengths to
undermine it. But they cannot ignore the rhetorical appeal of "civ
ilisation", so the strategy centres on putting Bin Laden beyond it. For example: "this
conflict is a fight to save the civilised world" (Bush) or an attack on states that
"have placed themselves outside the family of civi
lised nations" (Iain Duncan Smith). There is less emphasis on what constitutes
"civilisation" (does it include carpet-bombing?), but Tony Blair's slightly ambiguous
reference to Saudi Arabia as a "good and dependable frie
nd of the civilised world" (October 30) hints at exclusivity. (See our values and our
way of life)
Defaming the good name of ...
One of the prime minister's favourites. In recent speeches we have heard that Bin
Laden "defames the good name of Saudi Arabia" (October 30). Of the attack on America,
he says: "To justify it by saying such murder of the
innocent is doing the will of God is to defame the good name of Islam" (October 8).
Clearly intended to distance Bin Laden from both constituencies, it nevertheless lacks
impact since Tony Blair is neither a Muslim nor a
Saudi. He is merely speaking on behalf of "defamed" groups who may not share his views.
Global terror network
Usually refers to Bin Laden's al-Qaida group but is loose enough to be extended to
others if and when the need arises.
Hawks and doves
Not the division between warmongers and peaceniks that you may expect. As the Bush
administration prepared for war, the media divided its main players into "hawks" such
as Donald Rumsfeld and Paul Wolfowitz (who talked of
"ending states" that sponsor terrorism) and "doves" like Colin Powell. Though the
terms are relative, Mr Powell once spoke of his wish to "cut the head off ... and
kill" the Iraqi army, and - it appears - his mission bef
ore this war was to build multilateral backing for a US military action. However, it
is possible a "dove" such as Mr Powell supports a more limited war than Mr Wolfowitz.
Anti-war sentiment is "dissent".
Hearts and minds
Can be loosely translated as public opinion or active support. Used from 1951 in the
1948-60 Malayan emergency, "to win hearts and minds" described a British campaign to
isolate communist guerrillas from community support
, and drive them into the jungle where existence was difficult. In the present crisis,
it referred first to the fight to win Afghan "hearts and minds", but others have since
moved the phrase to the home front, remarking t
hat the government is "losing the battle for the hearts and minds of the British
people" (Duncan Smith, October 31).
Long haul
As in: "We are in this for the long haul" (Blair on the launch of airstrikes, October
8) or "We should also be prepared for the long haul" (Jack Straw, October 22). The
first refers to the military campaign ("even when al
-Qaida is dealt with, the job is not over," Blair continued) and the second the west's
involvement in Afghanistan when the conflict is over. Often teamed with phrases such
as Blair's "the job is not over" or "we can carry
on until the job is done" (Admiral Sir Michael Boyce on troop deployments, October
26) it adds an unglamorous but sturdy sound to speeches made at sober times.
Moderate Arab opinion
Pro-western Arab opinion.
Non-specific threat
Now standard FBI jargon that allows it to issue a warning without compromising
intelligence sources, or admitting how much / little it knows. Intended to sound
terrifying / reassuring. May lose its impact.
Our values and our way of life
Similar rhetorical appeal to "civilisation" but equally vague. For example: "And we
may have sought to avoid the uncomfortable truth that there are some who wish
completely to destroy our values and our way of life" (Stra
w, October 2). An alternative form involves constructions based around "everything we
stand for" - for example, we are fighting "a group of people in Afghanistan who are
the sworn enemies of everything the civilised world
stands for" (Blair, October 30).
Peaceful
Covers two important concepts. The first that the Americans, British and other
coalition partners are "a peaceful people" and the second that Islam is a "peaceful
religion". Both are intended to minimise opposition - and
possible insurrection - among Muslims, whom many western (therefore peaceful)
politicians fear may see the war as an attack on their (peaceful) religion. The logic
is that both groups are peaceful there can be no conflict
between them. (See also clash of civilisations and religious duty)
Proportionate response
Means whatever you want it to, or alternatively nothing at all. A "proportionate
response" to September 11 could have included the deliberate killing of 5,000
civilians (taking a life for a life) or a covert intelligence
operation against al-Qaida (taking the necessary action to minimise the terrorist
threat). The bombing of Afghanistan falls somewhere in between the two, but being a
form of retaliation, is also a "proportionate response"
. Uniquely among the phrases on this list it holds an appeal to both hawks and doves
(see above) as it covers both bases.
Religious duty
As in "the killing of Americans and their civilian and military allies is a religious
duty" (Osama bin Laden, February 1998) or "Jihad today is a religious duty" (Sulaiman
Abu Ghait, al-Qaida spokesman, October 10). With
these words, the al-Qaida camp distances itself from its call to war.
Shoulder to shoulder
Three of the first words the prime minister spoke after the terrorist attacks on
September 11: "In Britain, we will stand shoulder to shoulder with our American
friends in this hour of tragedy." While signalling a deep su
pport it is a subtly different construction to phrases such as "right behind you" and
it implies an equal stature. Mr Blair has been widely reported to have used his
"shoulder to shoulder" alliance with the Bush administr
ation to offer advice to the White House strategists and perhaps claim some credit for
successes, but he will also shoulder the burden of failure if it comes. Also used by
Duncan Smith.
War on terrorism
Already in use in Israel ("Anyone who thinks it is a ping-pong war on
terrorism does not understand it" Ephraim Sneh, cabinet minister,
July 31), the phrase describes the US-led campaign against the
perpetrators of the September 11 terrorist attacks. Mr Bush did not
originally use it himself, preferring to "hunt down and punish"
(September 11). The concept of a "battle" between "the free and
democratic world and terrorism" was suggested by the prime minister
in the same speech that he promised Britain would stand "shoulder to
shoulder" with America.
But the highest level use of "war" ("The deliberate and deadly
attacks which were carried out against our country were more than
acts of terror. They were acts of war", Bush, September 12) raises
expectations of spectacular military action and provokes comparisons
with earlier conflicts, such as the Gulf war and second world war. It
prepares the public for perhaps unpalatable consequences, while also
making them more likely.
Guardian Unlimited � Guardian Newspapers Limited 2001
End<{{{
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Believe only after careful observation and analysis, when you find that it
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