Posted on 05/25/2006 6:40:50 AM PDT by Cannoneer No. 4
A number of stories have been unreported on or misreported in the war of terror. The mainstream media is willing to discuss the car bombs. But which of these stories have been the most damaging in terms of not getting out?
@ The memos from Saddam's regime. These memos, often ignored by major mass media outlets (unless targeted for derision), have generally shown the terrorist connections that Saddam's regime had, and showed that the regime was also interested in acquiring weapons of mass destruction. Far from lying, the Bush Administration had largely been spot on.
@ Guantanamo Bay and the detainees. Instead of focusing on how the United States was trying to handle prisoners in a new type of war, the media focused on scandals, most of which (the Koran flushing and torture at Guantanamo Bay claims) had little, if no, basis in reality. The one that did, was used to flog the military constantly.
@ The American efforts in the Horn of Africa. This is a theater of the war on terror where few shots are fired by American forces, but where a small number of American troops have carried out a major strategic offensive that has been largely successful.
@ The intelligence efforts that have meant no large-scale attacks have hit the United States since September 11, 2001. Efforts like NSA surveillance have often been attacked, often for political gain, without regard for the damage done. These efforts also have made it possible to fight the war without taking extreme measures that could have infringed upon civil liberties.
@ Contributions of various allies to the war on terror. The notion of unilateralism is not only untrue, but by not highlighting these contributions, it set the stage for the United Arab Emirates to be given very short shrift during a fear-mongering campaign in recent months.
@ Al Qaeda's media-based strategy has also been ignored. A better understanding among the American people of what al Qaeda is trying to do would help them understand the events. Instead, the mainstream media is playing along with al Qaeda's strategy.
@ The true level of progress in Iraq has also been ignored. Rather than the entirely gloomy picture the mainstream media has portrayed, what has happened is that al Qaeda has largely been defeated in Iraq. Three elections have been held, and have resulted in the second real democracy in the Middle East.
@ Afghanistan is also a subject of misreporting. In one recent case of misreporting, the media recently focused on headlines indicating a hundred dead. The details were hidden 87 of the 100 killed were Taliban fighters who were killed in a series of attacks, the other 13 were Afghan police.
This misreporting has become a constant pattern, and it is costing the United States. In a real sense, the mainstream media's failures will not end the war, but will instead prolong it and make it more costly.
bttt
Woohoo!! GO GO GO!
The disreporting and plain bias by the MSM IS having an effect...the viewership of network news shows and sales of large metropolitan newspapers are all dropping.
SO FAR, THIS IS THE MOST UNDERREPORTED STORY OF 2006!
Don't get mad, get even.
You are spot on also!
The daily hysteria surrounding the immigration issue, and the constant barrage of gloom coming from all of the conservative leaders, media, and (sad to say) much of the grassroots, has combined to drown out the real story that needs to be told to the American people.
What gets me the most crazy is that we are complicit in this. We love to bemoan the slant of the MSM, but with our near constant Bush bashing on immigration, we are making their jobs so much easier. Really, sometimes I wonder if a bunch of DUmmies have invaded FR posing as p*ssed off conservatives. Why are we letting a single issue derail the numerous reasons that we have to be proud of what this administration HAS accomplished.
I've been a long time lurker (see the screen name) and never really thought about posting replies until the last couple of months. This was the site that I came to to get a laugh, some support for my own ideas, and feel the comraderie of some like-minded individuals who understood the need for liberty and personal responsibility. Especially during the 2000 election aftermath, and after 9-11, FR was a haven from the MSM where a conservative could read some news and analysis and get the spirit buoyed up. Now, however, I cringe whenever I see an illegal immigration post. I can almost see the posts that will appear, and the dissention that accompanies it.
Get over it, people! I am totally against illegal immigration, and amnesty, and the cultural/social costs of it stagger me, but I REFUSE to let that one issue rule my thinking and actions. Without this President (who has not said anything other than what he says now about this topic) we would not have:
* The War on Islamofacism
* A signifigant tax cut
* A booming economy
* Pride in our Armed Forces
* Integrity in the White House
* A start on curbing the power of the Judiciary
* A true friend of the Culture of Life
* A CIC who does not govern via polling data
and a host of other things that we said (say) we wanted prior to this administration.
I think that everyone here would agree that the Dims running Washington would be a disaster, and we are the ones who can prevent that from happening, just as we can keep her Thighness from EVER holding the keys to the executive branch. So let's agree to disagree, but hopefully not lose sight of the bigger goal which is the greatness of this nation.
Sorry for the rant, flame away!
Amen, Lurk.
Allow the democraps to take control of the House and it will be like spitting upon our courageous troops in the field because we know how the democraps feel about our troops, their fatuous 'patriotism pleas' not withstanding. While we're at war and we have fellow Americans out there with their lives on the line, it is too dangerous to allow democraps to control the fate of those troops.
Bump.
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