The art of using euphemisms is neither new nor restricted to governments. I can remember how some left radicals after a demonstration turned violent which left a policeman paralysed talked about 'policemen clapping' (my translation).

Some euphemisms in that process lose the 'eu' (=good) part in that sense that nobody any longer considers them euphemisms. McGrath has made this point already with 'ethnic cleansing' and I agree. I shall give some more examples in which most have forgotten that the word once has started as a euphemism.

Two examples from this thread: electric chair (for a killing machine) and pogrom (why use a Russian word for sectarian/racist mass murder?).

Or: concentration camp
Or: lucifer (bearer of light)
Or: torture

Wolfgang