Posted by noa on March 22, 2003, at 10:35:19
In reply to Re: Terms » noa, posted by Dinah on March 22, 2003, at 9:14:18
Yeah, I guess now I'm hearing reporters actually talking about the propaganda war, and not surprisingly, they are observing that this is all a big part of the war strategy. And I suppose something is working, whether it is the psyops leaflets, or the media coverage or the hollywood-esque labels, who knows, because many Iraqi troops are surrendering.
The "embedded" reporters is a shrewder strategy, although gives it away that control of the exposure is a key piece that they needed to control. As Daniel Shore said this morning, they are making it seem like there is total coverage, but there is still, of course, censorship, as one would expect there to be in a war. Don't mistake me, I'm not disputing the need for necessary censorship--just commenting on the shrewd PR strategie. And as for the less subtle strategies, like those hollywood-esque labels and "trailers", well, it just seems bizarre to me that they would be so maudlin and melodramatic in such an obvious way. Given the political climate leading up to the war, it just seems quite hollow to announce the war as "operation Iraqi Freedom", even moreso because the freedom of Iraqi's was not the main point of the US's arguments to the UN nations at all, so it adds to the sense that they were just trying to find justification for the war.
I guess not so bad for the armed forces to use the terms, but what I REALLY object to is not the army or administrations's use of propaganda terms, it is the MEDIA's lining up and adopting the terminology without comment, and even creating their own "branding" terms to dramatize the war coverage. You'd think the media would at least TRY to LOOK more objective! It is like they just gave up on that a long time ago! I think news media sees itself more as entertainment now than it used to.
As I said earlier, I am conflicted about the war. I know for sure that I feel that Bush did not convince me, though I can't say I'm unconvinced either. I wonder if someone else might have done better in convincing me. The most convincing thing I've heard so far is an interview I heard this morning with two Iraqi Americans who support the war. I have been of the feeling that I don't like how the foreign policy leading up to this was handled, but at a certain point, it seemed like it would be hard to back down because of the build up in antagonism that had occurred. OTOH, anytime we go to drop bombs on a city where innocent people could and probably will be killed and maimed, I am extremely troubled.
I don't feel I followed the details sufficiently to judge the arguments for war--or what the risks were of not going to war. I heard Bush's and Powell's speeches, but never felt entirely convinced. Otoh, I don't feel I am convinced that not doing war is a good risk either.
As I said earlier, I know how I FEEL. War scares me, saddens me, troubles me. Whether this is a necessary war? I don't know.
This is very "wimpy" of me, I know, which is why I would make a very bad executive, whether in a corporation or in government!
Part of my skepticism comes, in part from just not being able to trust George W. In addition to what I felt about him prior to this, there is something coming across in all of this that seems too personal. I mean, I was thinking that this story of father and son presidents vs. villain despot would make a great opera someday. Great characters, great father-son emotional conflicts, son redeeming all past disappointments by winning back his father's honor, lots of side stories for choruses of security council members, war protesters.....
OTOH, I know that this is just my impression, and I don't have all the facts one way or the other. I feel like I should have kept myself better informed, but it has all felt so overwhelming for me, and anxiety provoking, so I tended to stick to the fluffy parts of the newspaper, local news, etc., and only keeping superficially informed of the war info.
I only hope and pray this is over soon, with as little human pain as possible, and that a lasting peace will follow.
poster:noa
thread:211128
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20030322/msgs/211410.html