They have these little animated graphics about various weapons systems. We've all seen them... here's the JDAM, it's this long, it weighs that, and so on, while a little 3-D picture of it spins around. They have these for the M-1 tank, the various kinds of aircraft, etc. Last night up pops the same thing on... a Marine. He's wearing this, he's carrying that, he's armed in these ways... it was like one of those video games where various characters have different powers and properties. The "Wizard" can fly and cast spells; it takes 150 whackpoints to knock him out, he can be invisible. The "Magog" has one eye and a big club; it takes 500 whackpoints to knock him down, and 1000 to kill him; he can see you coming for miles. It really trivialized the whole thing, and added to the impression that the war is turning into a kind of sick video game where millions of people keep their eyes glued to the tube hoping to see something blow up. |