When I first heard the military action in Libya was tagged "Operation Odyssey Dawn", I thought, "What a stupid and cheeky sounding name". I wondered if the military keeps these names on a list somewhere, just waiting to use them whenever the need arises.
The name has continued to nibble at my insides. First of all it sounds more like the name of a porn star or a 70's disco band than a military undertaking.
I was under the impression that the term 'odyssey' in fact meant a voyage, a trek, as in "2001 Space Odyssey". We all know what 'dawn' means. The beginning. So I decided to look the actual definition up. After doing so, it makes the Obama Administration's choice of moniker in this case, a little more puzzling. That is, if you actually believe that this will be a very short conflict. Perhaps it hints at the reality that most in the media are trying so feverishly to ignore.
The actual definition (according to Dictionary.com):
Od·ys·sey [od-uh-see]
–noun, plural -seys for 2.
1. ( italics ) an epic poem attributed to Homer, describing Odysseus's adventures in his ten-year attempt to return home to Ithaca after the Trojan War.
2. ( often lowercase ) a long series of wanderings or adventures, especially when filled with notable experiences, hardships, etc.
Hmmmm. Makes it a seemingly erroneous choice of words for what is supposed to be a brief effort. Or are we looking at 'just the beginning' of a long series of wanderings in Libya? With the first six days costing $$373 Million, this long series of wanderings will come with a hefty price tag.
