The system used to respond to random names.
Desert Storm (Kuwait, 1991), "Restore Hope" (Somalia, 1993), "Iraqi Freedom" (2003) and now "Odyssey of Dawn" in Libya.
How significant are these Hollywood names the Pentagon will put its military operations?
The answer is: none.
These titles are the result of a random system for the Department of Defense U.S. to give names to their operations and in the Libyan case is meaningless.
Therefore, any operation that relates the famous Homer's epic novel about the journey of Odysseus, which may well have taken place on the coast of Libya, will be wrong.
"Given the name, people often wonder what to do with Libya. They try to apply the model of Operation 'Iraqi Freedom' and try to find meaning in the title when in this case there is none" said this week a member of the African Command of U.S. Armed Forces.
Washington uses a computer system created in 1975, after some names randomly selected by the commanders-as "Operation Killer" (murderer) during the Korean War and Operation Masher "(pisapuré) of Vietnam- triggered a wave of criticism.
To title their missions, the Pentagon has assigned a group of letters with a series of predetermined words. The system gives each military command a couple of letters that will be used to label the offensive.
For example, African Command, U.S. Army, by of the current operation in Libya, has assigned three sets of double letters JS-JZ, NS to NZ and OP-OA with a series of words provided, said military spokesman Eric Elliott in a recent interview with the The Washington Post newspaper.
African Winds
To make the final decision, commanders previously approved a list of about 60 code names. On this occasion, once agreed to call the operation Libyan Odyssey, the official leaders held a brainstorming for a random word that goes well with him, "said Elliot.
"The goal is to create a name that has absolutely nothing to do with activity in the region, so that one can walk down a street in Washington during the planning stages and make sure no one will know that this is Libya, "the soldier told the newspaper.
" The goal is to create a name that has absolutely nothing to do with activity in the region, so that one can walk down a street in Washington during the planning stages and make sure no one will know that Libya is "
Eric Elliott, a spokesman for U.S. Army
U.S. has strict guidelines. The names should not "express a degree of hostility" to be "offensive to good taste or derogatory to a particular group, sect or belief. "
Trademarks, and the terms" exotic "or" trivial "are also prohibited.
But not all names of military operations Americans are neutral. Some contain a message, such as Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Canadian military have their own system to baptize the missions should be related to the region where the action takes place.
For example, operation "Odyssey of Dawn" they call it MOBILE. "In this case, since the region is the Mediterranean, the name was chosen because it begins with M," said Lt. Jennifer Jackson of the Canadian Defense Department.
"Furthermore, since Canada is a bilingual country, the word chosen should obey the two official languages. MOBILE spelled the same in English and French."
The use of capital letters is a habit and it means nothing, he adds.
The French, meanwhile, the operation in Libya titled "Harmattan", as it call a dry, dusty wind from West Africa.
Forces of Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Italy, Spain and Qatar are also involved in military action, but they do not have a name for the mission.
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