Military codenames chosen at random?!

Along with the ridiculous idea that the US can't change its codenames, here's another ridiculous idea:

Geronimo's tribe seeks apology for bin Laden code name

By Susan Montoya BryanThe White House referred questions on the matter to the U.S. Defense Department, which said no disrespect was meant to Native Americans.

The department wouldn't elaborate on the use of "Geronimo," but said code names typically are chosen randomly so that those working on a mission can communicate without divulging any information to adversaries.This led to the follow exchanges on Facebook:

This sounds like pure BS to me. "Chosen randomly" from which pool of possible names? The dictionary?

When a top-secret kill mission is codenamed "Sofa," "Platypus," or "Shirley Temple," then I'll believe we choose names at random. Until then, no.They should have code named him "wanker." That would have been great.Biggest coincidence ever? OBL mission just happens to be named after an elusive, US-hating "savage" deemed a terrorist by many. What are the odds?I would have suggested "Strawberry Shortcake."Many names would've been better than "Geronimo." I think treating Osama as a joke rather than a savage Indian would've been fine.

I'm looking forward to the next time a US president's name comes up in the "random" rotation. Because if you're going to use Native leaders, you should use American leaders too. I wonder what this mission will be.

"Operation Geroge W. Bush" delivers manure to needy Third World farmers. But not because Bush was all about pooping on people. Just another randomly chosen coincidence.

Yeah, right.

For more on the subject, see Inside the "Operation Geronimo" War Room and Congress to Examine "Geronimo" Codename.