Surgical Warfare

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The term surgical warfare (from the English surgical warfare or surgical strike "surgical strike") is a military euphemism . It describes warfare in which only military targets are to be attacked in order to prevent collateral damage.

term

For reasons of public relation , the term "warfare" is connected with the metaphor of medicine in order to be able to justify it better: A surgical intervention is a measure that is painful, but - especially through precision and pinpoint accuracy - does good. This positive content should be associated with the term war and thus ensure support for an act of war in the population.

The term surgical warfare was first used on a large scale in Operation Desert Storm , in which military targets were attacked at high frequency with precision-guided ammunition .

Accordingly, euphemisms such as military strike , air strike or robust approach are mostly used today instead of earlier, more precise terms such as war of aggression , bombing or air raid .

literature

  • Shultz, Jr., Richard H .; Shultz, Richard H .; Pfaltzgraff, Robert L .; Shultz, Jr., Richard H .; Pfaltzgraff; Shultz, Richard H. (1992). The Future of Air Power: In the Aftermath of the Gulf War. DIANE Publishing. ISBN 1585660469 .
  • Surgery strike. About the connections between language and politics. Loccumer protocols 58 / '91