circular firing squad
Allies destroying themselves
A circular firing squad is a group whose members attack each other instead of their common enemy, guaranteeing mutual destruction.
The image is of soldiers arranged in a circle, each aiming at the next—when they fire, everyone dies.
Used almost exclusively in politics to describe infighting that dooms a party or movement: Democrats formed a circular firing squad over the bill, The primary turned into a circular firing squad.
- internecineMutually ruinous conflict
- infightingRivalry within one organization
- finger-pointingAssigning blame openly
- blame gameCompetitive fault deflection
- Mexican standoffMultiparty armed deadlock
blood in the water · purity test · counterproductive · self-sabotage · disunity · discord · vicious cycle · backstabbing · scapegoating · self-destruction · factionalism · friendly fire · implosion · downward spiral · own goal · self-inflicted wound · paradox · cancel culture
circular firing squadunited front
Coalition presenting as one
solidarity · closing ranks · esprit de corps · lockstep · band of brothers
circular firing squadcoordinated attack
Planned simultaneous military strike
strategic alliance · surgical strike · pincer movement · coalition building
circular, circle, circles, circled, circling, circularity, circulate, circulation, circulatory