The origin of the use of cryptonyms (code names), words or names used furtively to refer to another name or word, for military purposes or in espionage, seemingly could be dated to the Second World War. Cryptonyms were used during the war in order to refer to nations, cities, geographical features, military units, military operations, diplomatic meetings, places, and individual persons. The modalities of forming cryptonyms varies from nation to nation, for ex., while the British forces tend to use one-word names, Americans prefer two-word names and the Australians and Canadians use either. Interestingly, the French military prefers names drawn from nature. A few of the famous military cryptonyms are “Operation Barbarossa” (used during World War II to denote the Nazi Germany plan to go east and invade the Soviet Union), “Operation Desert Storm” (used during the Persian Gulf War for US air and land operations), “Operation Overlord” (used during the World War II, for the Allied invasion of Normandy) and “Manhattan Project” (used during the World War II, for the US nuclear weapons program). The purpose of having a cryptonym during a military action is to identify projects and missions while maintaining secrecy against rival concern.
However, the recent cryptonym or codename used by the United States’ military force to designate their operation to raid and kill the Al-Qaeda chief Osama Bin Mohammed Bin Awad Bin Laden is of striking importance. After Osama was killed in the US raid in his compound in Abbottabad in Pakistan, the military sent a message back to the White House: “Geronimo EKIA”- enemy killed in action. Decoding this Cryptonym-Acronym “Geronimo EKIA” shockingly decodes the very American mindset which has not changed in the past 200 years, of targeting Native Indians (precisely speaking Native Americans) as enemies of the United States, that too despite having an African-American president in the White House.
Geronimo, born on June 16, 1829, an outstanding Native American leader of a group of Apache Native Americans, which lived in the southwestern New Mexico and southeastern Arizona in the United States, and in northern Sonora and Chihuahua in Mexico. He fought against Mexico and the United States for their expansion into Apache tribal lands for several decades during the Apache Wars. Allegedly "Geronimo" was the name given to him during a Mexican incident, but his real name was Goyaale from the Chiricahua language meaning "one who yawns"; often spelled Goyathlay or Goyahkla in English.
Embittered by the death of his mother, wife, and children at the hands of Mexicans in 1858, Geronimo joined revenge attacks on the Mexicans and later against the United States. He became known for bravery and daring deeds and was honored by the Apaches as a warrior with spiritual powers. History says, in 1886 Geronimo was eventually tracked down by U.S. authorities and surrendered. As a prisoner of war in old age he became a celebrity but was never allowed to return to the land of his birth. By the time Geronimo died as a ‘prisoner of war’ on February 17, 1909 he had become an Apache icon, who fought against the invasion of his country and the oppression of his people and horrific atrocities committed against the Apache.
It is the name of this Apache freedom fighter Geronimo, who fought to protect his land, his people and their way of life, which the United States has used as a cryptonym for Osama. As the demise of Osama bin Laden is being hailed as a triumphant moment for the Obama administration, the Apaches are already up in arms against the US military codenaming Osama bin Laden, "Geronimo" and in fact,according to the Associated Press it is reported that the Fort Sill Apache tribe in the US has demanded an apology from President Obama for the same. Also, it is reported that Loretta Tuell, staff director and chief counsel for the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, has condemned this act, saying, “These inappropriate uses of Native American icons and cultures are prevalent throughout our society, and the impacts to Native and non-Native children are devastating.” The weekly, “Indian Country Today” also criticized the same by reporting it as "a disrespectful use of a name revered by many Native Americans."
The pain, frustration and insult that the Native Americans, felt is very much evident in the words of Tom Holm, a former Marine, a member of the Creek/Cherokee Nations and a retired professor of American Indian studies at the University of Arizona, who said “I was celebrating that we had gotten this guy and feeling so much a part of America. And then this ‘Geronimo EKIA’ thing comes up. I just said, ‘Why pick on us?’ Robert E. Lee killed more Americans than Geronimo ever did, and Hitler would seem to be evil personified, but the code name for bin Laden is Geronimo?”
Lise Balk King wrote in ‘Indian Country Today’, “Embedded within it is a message that an Indian warrior, a symbol of Native American survival in the face of racial annihilation, is associated with modern terrorism and the attacks on 9/11. It equates being Native American with being hated, an enemy to the world, and someone to be hunted down and killed, and re-casts one of their heroes into a villainous role.”
In a statement, Jefferson Keel, president of the National Congress of American Indians, has noted, “To associate a Native warrior with bin Laden is not an accurate reflection of history and it undermines the military service of Native people. It’s critical that military leaders and operational standards honor the service of those who protect our freedom.”
Decoding the codenaming of Osama as ‘Geronimo, therefore, unveils what Steven Newcomb explains in his book, ‘Pagans in the Promised Land’ the “cognitive unconscious” of the United States. Newcomb says, “Certain ingrained traditions of thought, both conscious and unconscious, have been used for generations by US government officials. Such thinking has resulted in the development of predominantly anti-Indian US federal Indian laws and policies.” He further says, “one of the normative American metaphors throughout the history of the United States has been ‘Indians are enemies’. We're talking about a US tradition of dehumanisation and dominance used against our nations and peoples.” Geronimo perfectly fits into this non-Indian metaphorical frame "Indians are enemies". I feel sad!!!
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