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Who 'Lost' Fallujah? Marines Or Media?
IBD ^ | January 3, 2007

Posted on 01/03/2008 5:42:13 PM PST by Kaslin

Media And War: As the battle for Fallujah raged during 2004, the world's media gave it front-page treatment — almost all of it negative. Now U.S. intelligence analysts say the media deserve some blame for the setback there.


A report looking back at the first battle of Fallujah, which led to a U.S. withdrawal of forces from that city, concludes that a major reason for the U.S. retreat wasn't military incompetence or an unbeatable foe; no, it was the media.

"The outcome of a purely military contest in Fallujah was always a foregone conclusion — coalition victory," according to a report from the U.S. Army National Ground Intelligence Center.

"But Fallujah was not simply a military action, it was a political and informational battle. . . . The effects of media coverage, enemy information operations and the fragility of the political environment conspired to force a halt to U.S. military operations."

That halt, by the way, meant more U.S. troops were killed in pacifying Fallujah than necessary. The first battle for Fallujah began on April 4, 2004, and ended five days later. The U.S. had to wait six months before going back to finish the job.

(Excerpt) Read more at ibdeditorials.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Foreign Affairs
KEYWORDS: infowar
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To: tennmountainman

No, that was where three private security operators were ambushed in an active combat zone (after being told not to take that route!), then having their bodies burned and mutilated.

They weren’t murdered. They were combatants who died as a result of combat related injuries.


21 posted on 01/03/2008 7:37:03 PM PST by Eagle Eye (If you agree with Democrats you agree with America's enemies.)
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To: Kaslin; All
More appropriately, it could be said about Tet of ‘68.

The build up of enemy forces was noted but not entirely acted upon until the offensive began. Our reaction was swift and deadly. All Viet Cong forces were eliminated and never again was a serious threat. NVA forces were stunned and sent back to safe areas in Cambodia and the north.

Who won the battle of Tet? Unquestionably a decisive military victory for the US. But the media manipulated (at the hands communists in the media, including Uncle Walter) and beat the citizens of this nation to death nightly with photos of dead and crying women and children and Dan Rather’s flat out lies about the war.

The only thing that kept this from being Tet all over again has been the real story coming out in the alternative media.

The enemies of freedom no longer have a strangle hold on the our information. We have freed the truth.

22 posted on 01/03/2008 7:42:43 PM PST by Mr. Jazzy (The United States Marines: Finest and most feared fighting force in the history of mankind.)
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To: Kaslin
Somebody needs to take down Wikileaks.
23 posted on 01/03/2008 9:28:27 PM PST by Cannoneer No. 4 (Civilian Irregular Information Defense Group http://cannoneerno4.wordpress.com)
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To: intenseracer; 2ndDivisionVet; Lurker; roaddog727; MizSterious; Tainan; AliVeritas; Liberty Wins; ...

ping


24 posted on 01/03/2008 9:31:02 PM PST by Cannoneer No. 4 (Civilian Irregular Information Defense Group http://cannoneerno4.wordpress.com)
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To: ARE SOLE
The Marines won Fallujah, handily, when allowed to.

Exactly. God bless 'em.

25 posted on 01/04/2008 5:42:22 AM PST by StarCMC (http://cannoneerno4.wordpress.com; http://starcmc.wordpress.com/ - The Enemedia is inside the gates.)
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To: Mr. Jazzy
The only thing that kept this from being Tet all over again has been the real story coming out in the alternative media.

The enemies of freedom no longer have a strangle hold on the our information. We have freed the truth.

There's an old -- from 2004 -- but very good article by Barry Farber called "Anti-American Media are Perverse Propagandists" in which he says:

Mark Twain said a lot of things wittier and funnier. But he never said anything more valuable than this: A man who can read - but does not, has no advantage over a man who cannot read.

He’d probably also agree that a nation free to tell itself the truth -but does not, has no advantage over a dictatorship. Media coverage of Iraq these days makes me fear we have become that nation.

The entire article is linked from my blog if you hit the link above -- it's worth a read. The media is indeed the enemy.

26 posted on 01/04/2008 5:47:12 AM PST by StarCMC (http://cannoneerno4.wordpress.com; http://starcmc.wordpress.com/ - The Enemedia is inside the gates.)
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To: Cannoneer No. 4
Somebody needs to take down Wikileaks.

Bump.

27 posted on 01/04/2008 5:48:19 AM PST by StarCMC (http://cannoneerno4.wordpress.com; http://starcmc.wordpress.com/ - The Enemedia is inside the gates.)
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