"Geronimo" used as code name for bin Laden mission

so the indigent aboriginal Americans in metro Detroit (WTF? Detroit???) are righteously:

outraged
saying it's "very hurtful" (which I imagine caused Geronimo to do a facepalm as he was rolling over in his grave)
horrified
shocked
labeling it as "another case of being insensitive to our feelings"
Grrrrrrr.
deeply offended
decrying that “It’s bad enough they name their weapons like the Apache helicopters, the Chinook helicopters, the Tomahawk missiles after us
think it associates his name with bin Laden (WTF squared)


BTW, Geronimo was an Apache and probably never went anywhere near to Detroit, but if he was alive today he'd probably go up there now and kick some sissy prissy Potawatomi butt.

https://www.freep.com/article/20110504/NEWS05/110504030/Metro-Detroit-s-American-Indians-angry-over-use-Geronimo-code-name

Originally they called it Guantanamo but when they realised he was dead they quickly changed the name.

Imagine if the French had performed this operation and referred to the target - bin Laden - as Reagan.

I thought the called the operation Geronimo, not bin Laden himself.

I think there's a joke in there somewhere, but well, I'll let his real name respond for me: "Geronimo was the name given to him by the Mexicans but his real name was....often spelled Goyathlay or Goyahkla in English from the Chiricahua language meaning "one who yawns"--Wiki

This is a tempest in a teapot. The use of his name is honorary. For God's sake, anything to take things wrong so they can b**** and whine.

Yes, it's a term of respect and honor for Geronimo. Paratroopers have shouted "Geronimo!" as they jump to summon/show courage since we've had paratroopers.

It's because 'Guantanamo' and 'Geronimo' are similar sounding words and "Guantanamo' is a bay in Cuba that the US put terrorist suspects and Bin Laden was a terrorist.

I thought that too, but then I read that a SEAL specifically said "Geronimo EKIA" which indicates to me that the name was also used for the target.

Short for "Operation Geronimo enemy killed in action."

I heard that Geronimo was the code if he was captured and dead, it would have been something else if he were captured alive, or not found.

That being said, I've heard a lot of things, and am not really sure what is correct yet as its been changing rather quickly as more info comes in.

Though I have also seen lot of people here have been offended by the connection.

In any case, why don't people ask before they knee jerk 10 microseconds after hearing it. To even assume they were equating Geronimo with bin Laden is absurd.

I thought of that, but I'm not at all convinced. For one thing, the team isn't going to preference every radio call with the name of the operation. Secondly, the enemy is not identified. Lots of people were killed during the operation, but when bin Laden was killed they didn't use his name or a code name or "primary target" or anything - the just said "Geronimo EKIA."

I can understand why they're upset. It seems that they were referring to bin Laden himself as Geronimo, and I'm not convinced they weren't.

Guantanamo

Because it's the latest in a pattern. Indian names and imagery are commonly used, in and out of the military, to refer to stereotypical "Indian" stuff. "Indian country" is apparently a phrase used in the military to indicate wild or hostile territory.

Yes, several reports of aspects of the operation have changed several times, particularly having to do with the rules of engagement with bin Laden when they found him.