CAPITALISM AND EUPHEMISM

Capitalism has got to have euphemisms to cover up the sordid nature of the system. Thus children, maimed by napalm bombs is called "co-lateral damage" and troops blowing up their own troops is called "friendly fire". A recent addition to this sorry catalogue is "extraordinary rendition". "David Miliband has admitted two US 'extraordinary rendition' flights landed on UK territory in 2002. The foreign secretary said in both cases US planes refuelled on the UK dependent territory of Diego Garcia. He said he was "very sorry" to have to say that previous denials made in "good faith" were now having to be corrected. The renditions - the transport of terror suspects around the world for interrogation - only came to light after a US records search, he said." ..."Amnesty International UK director Kate Allen said extraordinary rendition was "a polite way of talking about kidnapping and secret detention". (BBC News, 21 February) RD