friendly fire

This page is about the doublespeak term friendly fire

Meaning

bullets or bombs from one's own side that kill or injure one's own people

For example

  • Why are so many of our soldiers killed by friendly fire?

  • They said our son was lost due to friendly fire, but they wouldn't say how it happened.

Note:
Can refer to anything from one death or injury caused by an inaccurate gunshot to dozens of deaths and injuries caused by a bomb or missile strike that mistakenly targets one's own forces instead of enemy forces.

Quick Quiz

A soldier who's killed by friendly fire is shot or bombed

a. on purpose

b. accidentally

c. as punishment
a) on purpose b) accidentally c) as punishment

Contributor: Matt Errey