US Air Force deletes tweet using 'Yanny or Laurel' meme to joke about killing people

While everyone else was poking fun at the bizarre quirks of human nature in the 'Yanny or Laurel' debate, the US airforce thought it was a great opportunity to promote its bombing campaign.

Just in case you somehow and enviably missed it, the internet was brought to a standstill yesterday over a fiery debate about whether a computer-generated voice was saying Laurel or Yanny.

Not one to miss out on the fun, the Air Force joked that the Taliban heard neither Yanny nor Laurel because all they could hear was US bombs. No, seriously:

The tweet was a clumsy attempt to draw attention to how A-10s - a plane that can fly close to the ground, famously making a 'brrrt' sound as it fires rounds - were brought in to help repel a Taliban attack on Farah, Afghanistan.

At least 25 members of Afghan security forces and five civilians were killed in the fighting, and hundreds of Taliban fighters were also killed, according to reports.

Using a meme to have a giggle about killing people didn't go down well. You know, because of basic common decency.

The Air Force has since deleted the tweet and apologised.

Fingers crossed that "addressing it internally" means memes will no longer be used to discuss military operations.

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