Libya News War Meme

Just me probably, but it seems that serious BBC journalism is not immune from little in-jokes or catchphrases.

I noticed this anew at the beginning of the week as the situation in Libya began to unfold. I drive to work early and usually listen to the Today program. An early bulletin from a correspondent in Eqypt (not allowed into Libya) was talking about the mercenaries employed by Gaddafi to prop up his regime. The correspondent referred to Gaddafi's "vicious militias". Could have been deliberate, could have been an accident of language (say it out loud to get the point). But it caught on. The presenters started saying it. Other correspondents referred to it. When I was driving home in the evening listening to the six o'clock news a whole new school of correspondents were referring to Gaddafi's vicious militias. Like schoolboys sniggering over a dirty joke . This is journalism (sigh).