Replies

"I want all of you to visit this link, then you might understand this article. http://www.stentorian.com/propagan.html"

Well, I went to the link and I read it, but I'm sorry it doesn't help me understand the article. Since the article is attributed to military sources, if it is propaganda, then it's either white or black. If it's white, then the link is of no use, since it only goes into detail about black.

If it's black, then I can only surmise that it's propaganda being released by bin Laden (or his non-dead leadership) to try to drive a wedge between the tribal membership of Western Pakistan and Musharraf in combo w/ the US. That wedge already exists, and an article in the Chicago Tribune isn't going to help drive it in.

I tend to go with the theory that (if it is propaganda) it's to try to get bin Laden moving. The link you provided is of no use in determining that. Maybe you can enlighten me?

That was a very brief synopsis of propaganda, you can google search it and you will have an all day read of how it is used.When we here the word media bias, what it should say is media propaganda, either by the government or by the authors political leanings. You never know for sure, thats what makes the media so powerful in swaying public opinion.

Since the article is attributed to military sources, if it is propaganda, then it's either white or black.

Hmmm. I'm not so sure. No source is given.

Let me list the sources as they appear in the article:

military sources said.
according to sources familiar with details of the plan and internal military communications. The sources spoke on the condition they not be identified.
sources said.
sources said. A source familiar with details of the plan said
The Defense Department declined to comment on the planned offensive or its details. (the only actual source named- yet this is not a source because the DoD refused to comment)
A military source in Washington said last week
is characterized within the Pentagon
Sources said
But military sources said
said sources familiar with the planning.
a well-placed military source said
Internal Pentagon communications indicate
Military planners said
"We don't have enough forces but we can rely on proxy forces in that area," said a military source, referring to Pakistani troops. "This is designed to go after the Taliban and everybody connected with it."

Although clever wording makes it sound like this guy has half the Pentagon staff on his Rolodex for this article, my own suspicion is it is one single source. I've written articles myself where I had only one source that I trusted but by referring to the source in a different manner here and there I was able to make it "feel" as if I had talked to a lot of different people for the story.

The thing we don't know is who the propaganda is directed towards. It could be towards Musharraf, his military top guys or Al Qaeda biggies. We just don't know. It will be reacted to by all three this is for sure.