We know that politicians lie; we live with it year on year. We also know that senior military positions are more political and strategic than actually getting one's own hands dirty, hence the predilection to lie.

It is just what they feel they have to do to satisfy their immediate goals and to hell with the long-term consequences.

A "christian" church once produced a document defining preconditions for "just" war.

Not merely "necessary", or "legal", they went so far as to add the label "just", as if being the "considered" product of a "church" allowed them to decide what is "just".

Marketing, as you say.

Rusty

Well, um, yes, Dr. Macnab.

"The point of all these operational names is that they are marketing exercises."

Yep, that's the point all right.

But what is the point of your article?

I am sure that it would be far more intellectually satisfying for you, and show a great deal of honesty and integrity on the part of the armed forces of the world, if they started naming their actions more accurately.

"Operation Indiscriminate Annihilation", perhaps. Or "Operation Civilian Terror". And for the wargame exercises, how about "Operation Expensive Posturing".

Nope. Can't see it somehow. Next.