A note on usage for telejournalist hairdos who spent more time in school with their hairdressers than their style guides:

Strategic, adj.
Pronunciation: str&-'tE-jik
1 : of, relating to, or marked by strategy <a strategic retreat>
2 a : necessary to or important in the initiation, conduct, or completion of a strategic plan b : required for the conduct of war and not available in adequate quantities domestically <strategic materials> c : of great importance within an integrated whole or to a planned effect strategic points>
3 : designed or trained to strike an enemy at the sources of his military, economic, or political power <a strategic bomber>

In each and every one of these senses, yes, taking out the state-run Iraqi TV station was indeed a strategic action. It was done (as per #1) to further our strategy for overall strategy. It was, similarly, important to acheiving our plan for assaulting Baghdad (#2). And, indeed, as the main mouthpiece of Saddam's regime, removing it was intended to strike at one of the sources of his power (#3).

But you don't mean any of those things when you say, as I just heard an MSNBC hairdo say, that the cruise missile attack on the station was "a very strategic strike." You mean "precise" ('minutely exact'), "determinate" ('having defined limits') or, best of all, "accurate" ('free from error especially as the result of care').

Of course, "accurate" doesn't make you sound - to yourself - as much like a real soldier as "strategic." It just makes you sound like you know your native language.

Posted By Dodd at March 25, 2003 11:14 PM | TrackBack