Al-Qaeda Mastered Media Manipulation in Iraq

examiner.com ^ | May 24, 2007 | Lorie Byrd

[TruthFactor]

An aspect of the war on terrorism that gets too little attention, yet is as important as any other, is the media war. Whether they realize it, members of the mainstream media are participants in the war on terrorism, and nowhere is that more evident than in Iraq.

Blogger Bill Roggio, who has embedded as a journalist in Iraq and Afghanistan, says the enemy’s documents reveal that much of their strategy revolves around manipulation of the media. An enemy unable to beat us on the battlefield is employing a strategy of attacks planned specifically for maximum media coverage and effect.

Roggio recently told the Christian Science Monitor that most mainstream media reporters “display a lack of knowledge of counterinsurgency and the role the media plays in an insurgency’s information campaign.” He says al Qaeda and insurgent groups frequently choose their targets to get specific media coverage they desire.

He cited the way a suicide attack in the Anbar province was reported as an example. “U.S. success in Anbar was immediately negated when al Qaeda conducted a suicide attack in Ramadi in early May, and The Associated Press ‘reported’ that the attack dealt ‘a blow to recent U.S. success in reclaiming the Sunni city from insurgents.’ Al Qaeda conducted the attack to generate such an opening paragraph.” People who read this also read:

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Journalist Michael Yon describes a similar attempt to manipulate the media. “As the British increase their forces in Afghanistan, they are drawing down in Iraq. Although the drawdown in Iraq is based on pragmatism, the enemy apparently is attempting to create the perception of a military rout. So while the British reduce their forces in southern Iraq, they are coming under heavier fire and the enemy makes claims of driving ‘the occupiers’ out.”

He then describes how a ceremonial transfer of authority over the Maysan province from the British to the Iraqi government was used to “counterpunch in the perception war, by focusing on the progress being made by the Iraqi security forces in the region.” Yon says “some of the biggest battles in Iraq today are being fought not with bombs and bullets, but with cameras and keyboards.”

Gerd Schroeder, a major in the U.S. Army who has served in Iraq and Afghanistan, sees a big problem with the lack of context in reporting from Iraq. In an article at The American Thinker, he explains how he came to that conclusion after studying the Brookings Institution Report, “IRAQ INDEX Tracking Reconstruction and Security in Post-Saddam Iraq.”

In the report, which he says is updated frequently and provides information from the U.S. military and other governmental agencies, he found some examples of how a lack of context can create a “misleading public impression.” One example was in the coverage of “ISF” figures.

“The Iraqi security forces (ISF) includes military, police, special police, Iraqi National Guard and border police. From early 2005 to mid-2006, the hot topic for marking progress in the war was how many ISF were being trained and employed. However, in mid-2006, this media reporting trend almost wholly dried up,” he said.

In an attempt to understand why, he examined information from the report: “In July-August 2006, the number of deployed ISF jumped from 269,600 up to 298,000. The previous months had experienced much smaller growth, but July/August 2006 experienced a 10.6 percent jump in ISF. The numbers jumped again in September by almost 10,000 to 307,800. October rose 4,000, and November rose almost 11,000.”

Schroeder concluded that when ISF figures became a good news story of progress, they received less media attention. He says there is “significant, unreported good news” in Iraq. He acknowledges there is plenty of bad news there, but that “the media has been doing a good job of reporting on those negative aspects.”

Schroeder makes the argument for more complete context in reporting saying, “Accurate, meaningful information that spans the full spectrum of subjects, including good news as well as bad, is critical to the American people getting a true picture of the war.”

Until the media start reporting the war in more complete context, it will be impossible for the public to accurately gauge the success or failure of “the surge” or any other aspect of the war in Iraq.

News of even significant progress in any region of Iraq can be silenced with one strategically placed bomb or beheading. Unfortunately, media manipulation is one aspect of the war the terrorists appear to have mastered.

[doug from upland]

News of even significant progress in any region of Iraq can be silenced with one strategically placed bomb or beheading. Unfortunately, media manipulation is one aspect of the war the terrorists appear to have mastered.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The NEW YORK TIMES is one organization that is not manipulated. They go along willingly and with eyes wide open as an enemy of this country.

[Parley Baer]

Right. It does not take anything to manipulate the media in this case seeing as Al-Qaeda is using Al-dimocRAT talking points.

[TShaunK]

she don’t help things
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y9/AIRKPL/pic05030.jpg

[weegee]

It took 9 months but the story got out how Hamas won the propaganda war with the aid of Reuters and others news hoaxes in last year’s Israel/Lebanon skirmish.

The Enemedia is treasonous and should NOT be trusted.

It is crazy to see a “journalist” ask the president why he should be trusted in disclosing a 2002 document about OBL’s plot to attack the US with Al Qaida agents.

The media is partisan and works for ratings. Two reasons to distrust anything out of their pie holes.

[Kid Shelleen]

Headlines should read


Drive By Media Embraces Al-Qaeda

[SolidWood]

Exactly. Al-Qaeda hasn’t mastered manipulating the media. The media is willingly siding with Al-Qaeda. Objectively Al-Qaeda is doing a horrible PR job. Beheadings and suicide bombings aren’t inviting much sympathy. What’s emboldening the terroristst is the media’s excuses, spins and sympathetic coverage in favor of the terrorists, coupled with the steady demonization and ridicule of our troops and the Bush Administration.

[Abathar]

Of course they did, it’s kind of easy to do if the media is helping you do it, even begging you to allow them to have it happen.

[Only1choice____Freedom]

This begs the question -

Who is manipulating who?

The media has their own agenda.
Do you think they are helping our enemy with suggestions and requests in order to make Bush look bad?

Al-Qaeda is more than happy to accept our own media’s assistance in their cause.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

There is a book (now available in paperback ):

***********************

Unholy Alliance: Radical Islam and the American Left
(Hardcover)
by David Horowitz

********************************************************

And reviews:

****************************************

Editorial Reviews

Rich Lowry, Editor National Review

David Horowitz is synonymous with pyrotechnics. A historian and polemicist of the first order, he is paid the ultimate compliment --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Davis Hanson, Author, Ripples of Battle

An original look at those who want us to fail in the Middle East, both at home and abroad. The --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

***********************************************************

See all Editorial Reviews

Fascinating Analysis of Leftist Goals, August 13, 2006

Reviewer: N. Sincerity - See all my reviews

A former 1960s radical, Horowitz is well-acquainted with the Leftist mindset. In this book, he strives to explain the modern alliance between left wing progressivists and radical Islamofascists. He argues that this alliance is based on a common desire to destroy Western capitalism. Leftist sympathy with Islamofascist ideas makes no sense from an intellectual point of view, given that countries ruled by radical Islamists are among the most racist, sexist, theocratic states in the world today. However, Leftists have recognized that they can benefit politically from destructive terrorist attacks on the Western world. A West under attack can be made to turn on its leaders in fear and desperation (as they did in Spain after the Madrid train bombings). Only once people reject current government structures can the Left execute its anti-capitalist revolution and build a new reality that mirrors the Leftist view of utopia.

The complete and utter idealogical hypocrisy of the Islamofascist-Leftist alliance is distressing, but as Horowitz reminds us,

Leftists radicals truly believe the ends justify the means.

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[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

fyi

[Huskrrrr]

The “Useful Idiots” don’t have a clue.

[Mo1]

I wouldn’t say they mastered it ... more like the media was happy to help them out

[mewzilla]

From back in 2001...

The Shaw Doctrine

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

The media has their own agenda. Do you think they are helping our enemy with suggestions and requests in order to make Bush look bad?

YES!!!

See #10....

[Allegra]

the enemy’s documents reveal that much of their strategy revolves around manipulation of the media. An enemy unable to beat us on the battlefield is employing a strategy of attacks planned specifically for maximum media coverage and effect.

It's not as if it's a difficult task for al Qaeda. The media and the Democrats have been their willing accomplices all along.

[Spok]

The MSM requires little manipulation to demonstrate its anti-American, pro-terrorist bias. What AQ should be concerned about is the Democrats winning the White House; they will have to level an American city to get any front page coverage.

[Dr. Frank fan]

Schroeder concluded that when ISF figures became a good news story of progress, they received less media attention.

The media lose interest in 'fronts' on which we appear to be gaining ground.

This is the embodiment of bias.

[Mo1]

He nailed it in that article

Am I exaggerating? Is that not what neutrality means? I'm sure those defending Shaw's position would argue that he was talking about the need to maintain the appearance of neutrality, not neutrality itself. But Shaw's refusal to be debriefed had nothing to do with appearances. The military was not asking him to report or refrain from reporting any news items to CNN viewers. It was trying to get him to share information that could have affected our national security and American lives.

[lowbridge]

media manipulation is one aspect of the war the terrorists appear to have mastered.

Family speaks of Fatah Islam leader (AP Puff Piece On Terrorist)