Posted on 11/21/2005 5:04:10 AM PST by sittnick
Individuals and groups are actively working to have the U.S. lose in Iraq, while others would see an American defeat as helpful to their political interests or careers, according to retired U.S. combat pilot and former Air Force aide to U.S. president Bill Clinton, Lt. Colonel Robert "Buzz" Patterson, during an exclusive interview with International News Analysis Today.com
The lives of American soldiers are placed in greater peril, and the war in Iraq is prolonged unnecessarily, due to the distorted media reporting and partisan attacks by certain U.S. politicians, stated Patterson, author of Dereliction of Duty (2003) and Reckless Disregard (2004).
INA Today asked if the press is aiding the terrorism.
"Absolutely," Patterson responded.
Tying slanted media reporting to domestic politics, Patterson stated that, "Consciously or not, influential segments of the mainstream media advance the agenda that anything that besmirches the Bush administration is good, and if it comes at the expense of the war in Iraq - that's fine."
"The troops see that, they see that very clearly," Patterson observed.
Recently returned from visiting U.S. armed forces in Iraq, Patterson expressed to INA Today his concern about the media and political manipulation of the Iraq war. While troop morale remains high, U.S. military personnel are, nevertheless, dismayed at the image the established media convey to the American public regarding their efforts in Iraq.
Some troops believe that distorted media reporting is a greater threat to their personal safety than direct enemy attack, because the message the media give to the public encourages terror gangs to redouble their efforts, Patterson told INA Today.
Patterson noted that the troops are disturbed that positive developments, including the passage of an democratic Iraqi constitution - the first such event in that nation's 5,000 year history -- receive little attention, and are never permitted to disturb an otherwise dismal image painted by the established media journalists.
Al Qaeda carefully watches and reacts to U.S. public opinion, and considers media image an extremely important aspect of their military effort, Patterson told INA Today.
The use and manipulation of the established U.S. media has been a major tool of guerrilla efforts directed against America since the Vietnam war. Successful manipulation of the media is an essential part of any "peoples war," and there are reports that Vietnamese military and governmental authorities have passed along their experience in media-driven guerrilla warfare to Islamic terror groups.
Cuban dictator Fidel Castro recognizes that the major elements of the U.S. media can be his ally, and Castro has openly stated that he works to influence established U.S. news outlets in order to advance his Communist agenda both in Latin America and in the United States itself. Castro's efforts have resulted in the established media ignoring the crimes of the tropical Stalinist gulag, but at the same time giving legitimacy to Cuba's Marxist regime.
The discussions with U.S. troops in Iraq, and his own research and observations form the substance of his latest book, War Crimes: The Left's Campaign to Destroy Our Military and Lose the War on Terror, due for release July 2006. "I am letting them [U.S. military personnel] tell their own story," Patterson stated.
Patterson said his book will challenge many Americans who are "unaware" or have difficulty believing that some elements in American society would favor U.S. losing in Iraq if it means political advantage.
During his interview with INA Today.com, Patterson cited continuing Democrat Party attacks on the Iraq war effort as an example of partisan politics endangering U.S. military personnel. Referring to leftist disputes over the launching of the U.S.-led attack on the Saddam Hussein regime, Patterson rhetorically asked, "What does it say to the troops when American politicians tell U.S. soldiers that they are there because of a ruse, that the whole thing was false from the get-go"?
Patterson urged politicians to consider the safety of the troops in harm's way, to put off partisan debates. "Stop playing political hardball," Patterson urged, and "let the troops come home first."
Based upon his access to military intelligence while an active Air Force officer and White House military aide, and his analysis of public Al-Qaeda statements, Patterson strongly believes Iraq's weapons of mass destruction not only exist, but are carefully buried in Syria, or possibly on the Iraqi side of the border with Syria.
Reported movements of Russian truck convoys going into and away from identified Iraqi WMD storage and development areas support Patterson's observations.
Looking ahead to future challenges to the United States, Patterson stated that North Korea, and its close ally, Communist China, present a serious danger to America. "It will be just a matter of time" before the Stalinist nation of North Korea provokes the United States, Patterson speculated, and he urged America to take a realistic look at the challenges the nation faces around the world.
Copyright 2005 International News Analysis Today
I didn't even need to read the entire article. (although I did).
The title heading says it all.
| How the Media Helps Insurgents (CBS News report) |
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| Posted by jmc1969 On News/Activism 11/20/2005 5:42:15 PM CST · 42 replies · 1,753+ views CBS News ^ | November 20 2005 | Kimberly Dozier As the U.S. military death toll continues to rise, officials have determined that the insurgents are utilizing media reports to outsmart armed forces. |
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The people in the MSM and the politicians who do this already know they are endangering our service people. DO YOU THINK ANYTHING ANYONE SAYS CAN MAKE THEM GIVE A DAMN?
bttt
Actually, It's time the American People stood up and said THIS WILL NOT STAND!
Good article. It validates what I've believed and what we've been saying for years.
Good article.
Unfortunately the concept of "Treason" has been lost and replaced with a perverted and abstract concept of "Freedom of Speech". So, people like Michael Moore can make movies undermining us, slandering us in the whole world and think it's "their right" to do so.
Red6
In Viet Nam there were almost no sources for the real story -- the story of how at Tet we had won (bloody, but a win), of how the war could be won if fought like a war and not some game-theory signalling exercise of a half-cocked half-hearted meat-grinder. The real story of Cambodia, etc. So vets came home to a tossing sea of lies, distortion, propaganda and ignorance. Adrift and alone each vet was left. The more curious the vet, generally the more likely prey he was to the distornists. That natural peaked curiousity of a returning vet would often lead to despair, confusion, a sense of meaninglessness when the vet did fall prey to the propaganda.
Today, thank G-d, there are places like FR, like the alternate media of talk radio, the internet, Fox network, etc. Places were the "rest of the story" is told, is placed in a logical comprehensive context.
The curious young veteran can now find safe harbors of learning the truth, of anchoring to meaningfulness, of true purpose for his war-actions.
Long term, this may be the greatest effect of FR and the rest.
I never read any articles before I post anyway.
I like living on the edge.
Should be interesting when these troops come home and become domestic again. Politically active. Speaking at colleges. Joining campaigns. Writing commentaries. Running for office. Raising their kids.
It seems that liberals seldom conceive the probable results of their actions. Just like pre-teens. We do not want these people leading anything of significance.
I NEVER listen to MSN news sources. I don't read the Times Picayune (bias). I listen to FOX news, the internet and blogs to get my news. I wish everyone else would get on board. It's a shame we can't trust our regular news outlets to give us the truth but, unfortunately, we can't.
I have e-mailed certain senators about treason but now I hear they don't read e-mail. What a bunch!
You read an article like this and almost want to accuse the author of being "master of the obvious".
Likewise you feel uneasy about using the term treason because it is such a serious charge( a crime punishable by death). I am not sure if what the MSM and the Democrats are doing fits the legal definition of Treason, it certainly fits the moral and common sense definition of Treason. I think conservative politicians and alternative media people refrain from using the term because they will be attacked as extremists. It is like calling the hard left Communists. It is really the most accurate term for them and their ideas. Despite the howl of protest from these people I think it may be time we call publicly call treason treason and communists communists.
True! Excellent comments!
Propaganda War
Don't blink this time...I said it when we began.
MSM and al jazeera are on the same side.
I don't think our troops are any different than we were in VietNam, in that all the bad press back home, really didn't mean crap to us over there in the boonies.
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