Media coverage of Iraq

[tigersqn]

The US policy of having embedded journalists traveling with combat units in the front lines has provided the civilian at home with an unprecedented look into how military forces operate.
So far, the policy seems to be a resounding success.

But what will happen if stiff resistance is encountered on the approachs to Baghdad ?

During the Vietnam War, images on the daily news shows of fighting and the casualties it produced contributed to the widening of the anti-war movement in the US and around the world.
With the potential for casualties that would exist in a "Battle of Baghdad", will the US retain the embedded media in the event of heavy combat or will they pull the plug ?

 

[kid kool]

Originally posted by tigersqn
The US policy of having embedded journalists traveling with combat units in the front lines has provided the civilian at home with an unprecedented look into how military forces operate.
So far, the policy seems to be a resounding success.

But what will happen if stiff resistance is encountered on the approachs to Baghdad ?

During the Vietnam War, images on the daily news shows of fighting and the casualties it produced contributed to the widening of the anti-war movement in the US and around the world.
With the potential for casualties that would exist in a "Battle of Baghdad", will the US retain the embedded media in the event of heavy combat or will they pull the plug ?

The Vietnam war lasted 10 years and the American public supported it until the very end. Nobody seriously pays attention to the rent-a-mob protests anymore in the U.S.

 

[tigersqn]

Of course nobody pays attention to the kind of protests that are taking place across the US as we speak; but if images of mutilated bodies of American soldiers are sent over the airwaves to the US, you may very well may see those protests increasing in size and intensity; as happened during Vietnam.

 

[kid kool]

Originally posted by tigersqn
Of course nobody pays attention to the kind of protests that are taking place across the US as we speak; but if images of mutilated bodies of American soldiers are sent over the airwaves to the US, you may very well may see those protests increasing in size and intensity; as happened during Vietnam.

I don't think so. Give the American people some credit. They can handle seeing fighting on tv. Support for the war is locked in.
People have chosen their sides.
This war is not going to last 10 years either. More likely is that Iraqis will welcome the U.S. and it will turn out to be a huge blunder for the peaceniks.

 

[Marko]

Originally posted by kid kool


I don't think so. Give the American people some credit. They can handle seeing fighting on tv. Support for the war is locked in.
People have chosen their sides.
This war is not going to last 10 years either. More likely is that Iraqis will welcome the U.S. and it will turn out to be a huge blunder for the peaceniks.

Yeah right......look at Somalia.

 

[Deltapooh]

The embedded media crews are still strictly controlled. Commanders can elect to flip the switch when desired. In Vietnam, the media had free reign to move about on the battlefield and report what they wanted from their civilian point of view. People saw combat as it was, without the understanding military personnel have.

No population can really endure the full brutality of war. What if CNN could broadcast from Iwo Jima, Normandy, or the Battle of the Bulge? What if there were cameramen broadcasting live with British and French soldiers retreating from the enemy. Imagine Germans seeing live nightly reports from Stalingrad. I'm confident the people would have endured most of that because they understood the clear risk. We don't have that kind of luxury today.

As Marko eluded to, Somalia is a great example of how the media can make or break a war. One minute, Americans were seeing crowds bless the ground Americans walk on. The next, you had those same crowds dragging American bodies through the streets. And the American people immediately said they wanted out. It didn't matter how successful TF Ranger was. No one cared about the intelligence reports. They wanted out immediately.

It would be a serious mistake to assume that would not happen again. Already, people are asking serious questions about the invasion of Iraq. The images on their screen and their own assessment of the war don't match. Those who thought it would be a cake walk are beginning to slip into panic mode. We, the more experienced viewers know this is all war. While everyone is freaking out over the small battles occuring now, we rely on our knowledge of history. People don't know how brutal war is. And when faced with that reality, likely don't want to be a part of it.

So at the very least, we should be concerned about the embedded media crews. One report is all that is required to change opinions.