As usual, US-appoved fighters are called soldiers, and US-demonized fighters are called gunmen. Let's have some equality: call them all gunmen. It hints at the real nature of the state, as "a gang of thieves writ large," in Rothbard's phrase.

As always, on the devaluation of language in the service of state crimes, see Orwell.

UPDATE from Craig Rowland:

A professor I had discussed our involvement in Somalia and the twisting of words. He loved how we had UN "Generals" to fight Somali "Warlords" and not UN "Warlords" and Somali "Generals".