Dissection of a phrase.

It is that fateful day. What will forever be, one week before my birthday, also happens to be the anniversary of the biggest tragedy to strike American soil. Around this time is also football season, which makes a big deal out of it all. And then creeps in the story of the ex-football player turned Armed Forces, Pat Tillman. He stopped playing football to go to the Middle East and fight for his country. Unfortunately, he was killed during a mission by "friendly fire". What the fuck kind of phrase is that?

friendly fire
      n : fire that injures or kills an ally

Okay, I understand WHAT it means. He was accidentally shot either by crossfire or by someone who thought he was the enemy. That much I can comprehend.... I just want to know who tagged it with such a ridiculous name. FRIENDLY, FIRE. There is nothing FRIENDLY about bullets being shot AT, and hopefully not into, your body and/or face. I cannot think of something LESS friendly. Assume, best case scenario, the sharpshooter there misses taking off your left nut by a hair. What can he say?
"Shit, sorry bro, you suddenly looked way tanner and in need of a shave. But hey, it's cool right? Friendly fire maaaaaan. Let's get some beers and eat some goat."

I see nothing, NOTHING that could even be potentially friendly about shooting in the general direction of an ally. Nor do I understand how it seems to happen so often. I thought the first thing you were taught in a firefight is to avoid the possibility of crossfire by not standing ACROSS FROM YOUR MAN SHOOTING IN YOUR DIRECTION. But what do I know, I'm just a civilian.

Collateral Damage, at least that makes sense. That's a good way for the government to say, lightly, we bombed a bunch of bad guys but there also happened to be eighteen innocent women and children in the way. But hey, WE GOT THOSE BAD GUYS! The rest, eh, ya know, move the fuck out of the blast radius next time. Hiroshima would be a decent example where calling it "collateral damage" is a fantastic way to excuse reducing an island to rubble. Because there must have been at least six or seven people in that zone that were responsible for Pearl Harbor attacks, right?

I can think of way more things I would rather be friendly. I would rather someone Friendly Sleeps with my Girlfriend, or Friendly Feeds my dog Chocolate. I would rather someone Friendly Stabs me in the Foot. At least those give me a good chance of getting the motherfucker back with something way less friendly. In this case, not only are you losing a friend, you're losing all your damn friends. So what kind of glory is there in this phrase? Is it a better way to say "Fucked Up Fire" or "Holy Shit Oops I Hope I don't get Demoted but Damn he Always Kinda Pissed me off Anyway Fire"? What's the story here, I want details. I want it to be changed.

Ex-friendly fire. Enemy Attempted Fire. Anything but friendly, cause nothin quite says companionship LESS than armor piercing bullets flying at your dome.

Again.... what do I know?