BUSH SNOW AND ENGLISH

But if thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought.
George Orwell

In a time of universal deceit - telling the truth is a revolutionary act.
George Orwell

Just like his prevaricating boss, Long War President George W. Bush, White House Press Secretary Tony Snow has some issues with the English language.
It must be an offshoot of the bird (i.e. word) flu virus.
I had to read the following sentence a couple of times:

"We think it's important that, in doing that, they try to limit as much as possible the so-called collateral damage, not only on civilians but also on human lives," Snow said.

Does Mr. Snow draw a distinction between human lives and civilians?
Snow's statement is the stupidest thing I have ever read (although Bush might have one more stupid somewhere.)
Snow made the statement in response to Bush's comment to Prime Minister Fuad Saniora that Israelis have a right to protect themselves.
Snow also shows a careless and cold regard for civilian deaths when he calls them "so-called collateral damage".
Mr. Snow, what would you call killing innocent civilians?
The president and Mr. Snow need to start taking Freshman English again.

[It now turns out that Tony Snow actually said facilities not civilians. Maybe only one of them needs to take Freshman English.]