The BBC reports firm action by Iraqi security forces against ‘militants’ in and around Basra as well as various ‘fighters’ in Baghdad.

Not long ago these various violent factions were known as ‘insurgents’.

Has General Petraeus done so well with his Surge in killing or neutralising a sufficiently large number of ‘insurgents’ that they are now have been relegated to the lowlier, almost humiliating status of ‘militants’, or even mere ‘fighters’?

If this excellent trend continues to the point where the Iraqi forces face threats from only small groups of ad hoc fanatics, how will the BBC and mainstream media then describe them? 

Extremists?

Or what they in fact are?  Armed criminals?

Is there a BBC guide to how these designations work? Who decides and when?