As if to confirm how nothing has changed, last week Robert Gates, US Secretary of Defense, decided it was time to (again) change the name of the Iraq War. Jake Tapper (ABC News) broke the story that Gates wanted to drop Operation Iraqi Freedom and go with the moniker Operation New Dawn. [PDF format warning] ABC News posted the memo:
MEMORANDUM FOR THE COMMANDER, U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND
SUBJECT: Request to Change the Name of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM to Operation NEW DAWN
The requested operation name change is approved to take effect 1 September 2010, coinciding with the change of mission for U.S. forces in Iraq. Aligning the name change with the change of mission sends a strong signal that Operation IRAQI FREEDOM has ended and our forces are operating under a new mission. It also presents opportunities to synchronize strategic communication initiatives, reinforce our commitment to honor the Security Agreement, and recognize our evolving relationship with the Government of Iraq.
Peace Mom Cindy Sheehan weighed in on Friday:
Today, I found out that the "operation" that killed my son is over. “Operation Iraqi Freedom” got its name after the “great” Powers That Be figured out that "Operation Iraqi Liberation" stood for "OIL.” Now, Obama’s SecDef, Robert Gates, has changed that benign name to an even more New-Agey, Sweeter-than-Honey name: "Operation New Dawn." Doesn’t that sound nice? Who doesn’t like New Dawns? Except perhaps the people of Falluja who were brutalized in a Marine siege back in 2004 that was inappropriately entitled, Operation New Dawn.
When Obama first took over the trappings of Empire, he changed the name of the "Global War on Terror" the GWOT to: OCO, or Overseas Contingency Operation-- doesn't that sound benevolent, too? Like the U.S. Empire is involved in Overseas Aid. You have a need for "Aid?" We have a "contingency" for you!
Jake Tapper noted the objection to the name change (or the attempt to pretend something's changed) by Brian Wise speaking on behalf of Military Families United. They're not an anti-war group. We waited -- obviously in vain -- for an anti-war group to tackle the name change.
At least Peace Mom called it out.