‘Odyssey Dawn’ and the Politics of Naming a Military Operation

The Takeaway

“Operation Odyssey Dawn” is the name given to our current military mission in Libya. But the choice of words is giving some the uncomfortable feeling that the U.S. may be embarking in an epically long battle, akin to the story of Homer’s “Odyssey.”  But when it comes to military operations, what’s in a name? It’s not significant in the ways one might think. We talk with William Arkin, a former Army intelligence analyst and consultant. He’s also the author of “Code Names: Deciphering U.S. Military Programs, Plans, and Operations in the 9/11 World.”

Are you with The World?

The story you just read is available to read for free because thousands of listeners and readers like you generously support our nonprofit newsroom. Every day, the reporters and producers at The World are hard at work bringing you human-centered news from across the globe. But we can’t do it without you: We need your support to ensure we can continue this work for another year.

When you make a gift of $10 or more a month, we’ll invite you to a virtual behind-the-scenes tour of our newsroom to thank you for being with The World.