"Surge"

The word "surge" has been in the news recently. Mainly it's used by people describing our president's latest Pinky-and-the-Brain plan to take over the world (Or at least, "complete the mission" in Iraq). That is, he's going to announce a plan to send even more troops to Iraq.

It's sly to use the word "surge" to describe this troop increase. Surge implies that the level increases and then drops off (perhaps even below prior levels). It connotes an imagery of a flood of troops storming into Iraq and breaking down the insurgency and then whisking safely away back home. When the reality is that these troops will join the 120-140K (anyone know the actual number?) currently trying to avoid IEDs and hunkering down in their heavily defended bases.

This is not a surge; it's an escalation. These poor men and women aren't going to come home until after Bush leaves office.