Operation Arrowhead Ripper: What does it mean?

The current U.S.-led operation in Iraq is called "Operation Arrowhead Ripper." What does that means?

It is entirely possible it means nothing. Often, that is the case. But I doubt it on this one.

I haven't been able to find any interesting speculation on the magnificent blogosphere, but here is my thought:

Hasn't anyone ever seen a cowboyws-and-Indians movie?

Before you remove the arrow from a person, you have to tear off the arrowhead. This is John Wayne 101.

(I tried to find a clip in Youtube or even a still, but came up with nothing. I did, unfortunately, come across a "Xena Warrior Princess" clip where someone gets an arrow in the stomach.)

You have to remove the arrowhead before you can remove the arrow.

The question, then, becomes, "What does the arrow symbolize?"

1. The enemy

Arrowhead ripper could refer to a "decapitation strike," which aims to kill the leadership. Then, if we follow the metaphor, the rest of the arrow (the rest of the enemy) could easiy be removed.

Hopefully this is not the case, as apparently the enemy leaderhip was tipped off about the operation, and split before U.S. troops arrived.

2. U.S. involvement in Iraq in general

Ok, this metaphor is not as clear, but it seems somewhat likely. If one wants to extricate the entire arrow - get the United States out of Iraq - first the "arrowhead" must be removed.

The arrowhead to be removed in this context would not be U.S. leadership, of course. Instead, the arrowhead might be the main "point" (sorry) of the continued U.S. presence: insurgency.

Before the U.S. can begin to withdraw, the insurgency must appear to be at least somewhat muted. Will this be possible without political change, and the entrenchment of solid institutions? Probably not.

But if that arrowhead - the effort to stamp out organized insurgency - is taken care of, then the arrow - U.S. presence - can be removed.

3. Something else

Ok, so everyone in America is thinking about how to begin a withdrawl, or else they should be. But the name of Operation Arrowhead Ripper is most likely #1, thought perhaps alluding to the removal of the arrow described in #2.

Perhaps the cowboy that is Iraq has several arrows in him that need to be removed.

I'd like to apologize for this over-analysis and over-metaphorification.