Cordon sanitaire
Posted by ESC on September 27, 2001
In Reply to: Cordon sanitaire posted by Bruce Kahl on September 27, 2001
: : Speaking of the U.S. president, veteran reporter Helen Thomas said, "You know he relies on this 'cordon sanitaire' around him." What's that?
: I guess it is George Dubya's cabinet, father's friends and handlers, a buffer zone:
: cor·don sa·ni·taire
: PRONUNCIATION: kôr-dô sä-n-târ
: NOUN: Inflected forms: pl. cor·dons sa·ni·taires ( kôr-dô sä-n-târ)
: 1. A barrier designed to prevent a disease or other undesirable
condition from spreading. 2. A chain of buffer states organized
around a nation considered ideologically dangerous or potentially
hostile.
: ETYMOLOGY: French, quarantine line : cordon, line + sanitaire,
sanitary
(See Bruce's post for Web site.)
Thanks.