Repped Up Like a Douche

I’ve been hearing all about some technique called “shaqinaw” for the past two days on television. I assumed it was some technical term, perhaps coined by General Shaqinaw of the Cavalry, to describe a way of attacking the enemy.

It wasn’t until I read it in print that I realized the term is “shock and awe,” which is described as:

…necessary effects arising from application of military power… aimed at destroying the will of an adversary to resist.

That, apparently, is what the Big Bombs will be used to inflict on the people of Iraq.

Comments

Steven Garrity's picture
Steven Garrity on March 21, 2003 - 04:36 Permalink

Yeah, “shock and awe” sound a lot like “terror” to me.

Justin's picture
Justin on March 21, 2003 - 04:41 Permalink

I was in “shaqinaw” when Jimi Hendrix sang “Excuse me while I kiss this guy” in Purple Haze. “… Another rumor in the night” hehe.

Peter Rukavina's picture
Peter Rukavina on March 21, 2003 - 04:53 Permalink

One of the best [perhaps the only] bits on the old Ralph Benmergui late night Friday television show on CBC was a piece about Blinded By The Light. The words to that song have been the subject of more than one drunken and/or stoned conversation in my life.

Peter Rukavina's picture
Peter Rukavina on March 21, 2003 - 04:57 Permalink

By the way, as per Steven Garrity’s request, I’ve turned HTML back on in comments.

Wayne's picture
Wayne on March 21, 2003 - 11:40 Permalink

Shock and Awe” is a terror strategy used on the Iraqi armed forces and its command and control structure, using overwhelming force applied in a concise manner.(Peter, your use of “Iraqi people” could be misunderstood to imply a cold intent to include non-combatants) Hopefully by threat, certainly by implementation, it is to convince the opposing forces to surrender.