The War of Words: Terms of engagement
By Miguel Guanipa (08/03/06)
It is often said that whoever frames the debate wins the argument. But while I agree that good arguments are very much like splendid looking edifices, it is not mere aesthetics that makes them substantive, but rather the brick and the mortar of the edifice itself -namely the terms employed in building the argument- that gives them their formidable appeal. This is especially the case if those terms happen to be well aligned with the prevalent cultural anxieties.
Information hungry species that we are, we demand to know the facts and are constantly seeking to understand and meaningfully interpret information. Under present conditions, in which a good part of the world is engaged either directly or indirectly in some type of conflict, certain terms have been created, while others have been revisited and subsequently redefined by media outlets in order to meet this demand.
The following is a list -by no means exhaustive- of terms commonly employed by the media, who has also endowed them with their own “stipulative definitions”, so as to convey what they reckon is a fair and balanced exposition of reality - in other words, what they report - since no other form of reality exists as far as they are concerned.
Broker:
A country that ordinarily acts as the “middle man” between two countries which are engaged in conflict. In today’s political climate, a broker is the country that makes sure a terrorist organization can save face and look like a victor against the sovereign country it originally instigated. A good illustration would be what the U.N. meant when it asked the United States to be a broker for peace between Israel and Hezbollah.
Counter-insurgency:
According to liberals, this is term used to define any efforts by members of imperialist pro-Israeli nations to thwart the honorable efforts of insurgents, also known as freedom fighters.
Diplomacy:
A term which is part of the vernacular in democratic circles for describing what the United States should do before making virtually any decisions, especially those concerning highly sensitive national security issues.
Exit Strategy:
The “be all, end all” of any war for someone who claims allegiance to the Democratic Party. Short form for the notion that no country should be involved in any war which does not have a way to get out of it as the primary goal. In this respect, appeasement and surrender are second in line. One should only surrender to the bellicose notion of victory as a very last resort.
Freedom Fighter:
See definition for Insurgent. You may also consult the Cindy Sheehan-Michael Moore abridged version.
Global Test:
See definition for Diplomacy or the John Kerry book of quotations.
Insurgent:
According to liberals, any member of the life affirming contingency of myriad terrorist organizations that make their home in most Middle Eastern countries falls under this definition.
Innocent Civilians:
Any civilians inadvertently killed by Israeli rockets fired a Hezbollah’s outposts entrenched in densely populated areas. This term does not, in any way, shape or form, apply to Israelis or any foreigners presently residing in Israel killed by Hezbollah missiles which are targeted with the express purpose of hitting densely populated areas.
Loser:
One of the many terms used to by high ranking democrats when describing the president of the United States. Often used interchangeably with “clueless” and “out of touch”.
Moderate:
A person with nebulous political affiliations who either does not fully understand the issues or does not have enough backbone to firmly make a stand on the former. Also known as a “Closet Liberal”.
Quagmire:
According to those affiliated with any Democratic Party Political Action Committee, this is the perennial mode of any American soldier engaged in a war to protect his country.
Sustainable Peace:
The notion held by most liberals which claims that the whole world will someday live in harmony in spite of the fact that there are people out there who are resolute in their commitment to kill every American they can get their hands on. This term is also used to describe the period of time allotted for a terrorist group to re-coup their losses and re-group in order to make another offensive, while the rest of the world discusses the advantages of pursuing a diplomatic approach with barbarians. For further explanation see also Exit Strategy and Quagmire.
Winning the Peace:
A phrase used often by pacifists during a time of war to convey the idea that it is the job of the United States to bring a resolution to all wars in a harmonious note at any cost.
It is my hope that these definitions will help the uninitiated in navigating the complicated terrain of politics during this very trying time when traditional definitions simply will not do.
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