[oceanview]

I agree with you, but the problem is that they also have an effect on our side. when they came out that first weekend talking about surrenders and regime collapse, they provided a false sense of security to our own citizens that this was going to be a "cakewalk". i don't believe that stories released by the pentagon that make their way through the US media effect the behavior of the regime in baghdad.

[Peach]

Agreed it affected our side and we all got our homes up.

Reports were interesting before the war of "pre-surrenders" - our military talking to their military by cell phone. Given that we don't have all the appropriate cell phone numbers, it seems perfectly appropriate to use the media to encourage fear among those who aren't 100% loyal to the regime.

Of course, in the "old days" this sort of thing was done via telegram and then in later years through newspaper articles - a lot of plants in WWII.

[Timeout]

So What?!

Who the eff cares what "people" thought after the first TWO DAYS of warmaking? It has no bearing on the military strategy; the ultimate goals; or the men and women fighting in the deserts, mountains and cities of Iraq. The chattering class is the only one who cares...and they just have to fill space and air time.

This is going to go on awhile and it would be a good idea to just watch the action and forget about all that "analysis" being done by people who have no clue what the battle plan is.

[Krodg]

but the problem is that they also have an effect on our side. when they came out that first weekend talking about surrenders and regime collapse, they provided a false sense of security to our own citizens that this was going to be a "cakewalk".

It would only be a problem if our military had a "false sense of security". I would think they would pray that some of this misinformation will lead to more enemy laying down their weapons instead of their lives.