Subj : unclear
To   : Alexander Koryagin
From : Ardith Hinton
Date : Sat Oct 26 2019 22:56:09

Hi, Alexander!  Recently you wrote in a message to All:

 AK>  -----Beginning of the citation-----
 AK>  The rapid exit of US forces that left the Kurds
 AK>  exposed was a gift to Putin: Russian journalists
 AK>  roaming newly abandoned US military bases played
 AK>  the moment for all it was worth, casting it a hasty
 AK>  helicopters-on-the-roof moment for American power.
 AK>  ----- The end of the citation -----

 AK>  The last two lines are unclear for me, especially
 AK>  "casting it a hasty helicopters-on-the-roof moment
 AK>  for American power".


           I agree with you that various journalists... regardless of who their 
employers are, BTW... may have "exaggerated the American retreat".  And I agree 
with Paul that where he & I come from the majority of TV journalists seem to be 
"in the business of selling viable commercial air time to advertisers".  If the 
upcoming news or weather report sounds quite dramatic, folks are more likely to 
stay glued to their seats during the ads because they don't want to miss out on 
anything.  Yet WRT the latter I often find the "record-breaking" temperature we 
are experiencing, e.g., takes into account only the same month & day.  It's not 
particularly difficult to break 100-year-old records under these circumstances.

           Since I know very little about military strategy I'm glad Paul could 
fill you in there.  What I tend to notice, as an English teacher, is the use of 
terms like "played it for all it was worth" and "casting it as [whatever]".  To 
me such language evokes images of the dramatic & performing arts.  Or as people 
in the restaurant business advised me, "Sell the sizzle... not the steak".  :-Q




--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: Wits' End, Vancouver CANADA (1:153/716)

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