Jonah: The terminology is changing too fast! I want to stand athwart euphemism and yell “Slow down!” Your commenters are having fun with the administration’s latest comical attempt to avoid mentioning the war, but they haven’t yet suggested reading material for the president: The Art of Time-Limited, Scope-Limited Military Action by Sun-Tzu. Of course, if he had read the book, he would have learned that:
The general who wins a battle makes many calculations in his temple ere the battle is fought. The general who loses a battle makes but few calculations beforehand. Thus do many calculations lead to victory, and few calculations to defeat: how much more no calculation at all! It is by attention to this point that I can foresee who is likely to win or lose.