Friday 5 September 2014

ISIS and Language


-  British Prime Minister David Cameron: “ISIS will be squeezed out of existence”
-  President Obama: “Our objective is clear and that is to degrade and destroy ISIL* so it’s no longer a threat”
-  Vice President Joe Biden: “We will follow them to the gates of hell until they are brought to justice. Because hell is where they will reside. Hell is where they will reside.”

Why do our leaders, leaders of Western democracies in the 21st century, have to resort to such language? Who are they talking to? Do they or their advisers believe that vocal threats will frighten the Islamists to lay down their machetes? OR is this solely a verbal macho show impress their own people? 

*ISIS = Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, first rebranded as ISIL – Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, and then turned IS = Islamic State] 

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