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'Jihadist'
booted from government lexicon
Bush administration targets language in
war on terrorism
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON - Don't call them jihadists any more.
And don't call al-Qaida a movement.
The Bush administration has launched a new front in the war
on terrorism, this time targeting language.
Federal agencies, including the State Department, the Department
of Homeland Security and the National Counter Terrorism Center,
are telling their people not to describe Islamic extremists
as "jihadists" or "mujahedeen," according
to documents obtained by The Associated Press. Lingo like
"Islamo-fascism" is out, too.
The reason: Such words may actually boost support for radicals
among Arab and Muslim audiences by giving them a veneer of
religious credibility or by causing offense to moderates.
For example, while Americans may understand "jihad"
to mean "holy war," it is in fact a broader Islamic
concept of the struggle to do good, says the guidance prepared
for diplomats and other officials tasked with explaining the
war on terror to the public. Similarly, "mujahedeen,"
which means those engaged in jihad, must be seen in its broader
context.
U.S. officials may be "unintentionally portraying terrorists,
who lack moral and religious legitimacy, as brave fighters,
legitimate soldiers or spokesmen for ordinary Muslims,"
says a Homeland Security report. It's entitled "Terminology
to Define the Terrorists: Recommendations from American Muslims."
"Regarding 'jihad,' even if it is accurate to reference
the term, it may not be strategic because it glamorizes terrorism,
imbues terrorists with religious authority they do not have
and damages relations with Muslims around the world,"
the report says.
'Official use only'
Language is critical in the war on terrorism, says another
document, an internal "official use only" memorandum
circulating through Washington entitled "Words that Work
and Words that Don't: A Guide for Counterterrorism Communication."
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