The Fallujah Brigade: How the Marines are pacifying an Iraqi hot spot. (A definite should-read!)

The Wall Street Journal Opinion Journal ^ | June 1, 2004 | Brendan Miniter

[CGVet58]

thank you for the link, very informative.

In reading it, there are a few levels of information that stand out: that Yes, there is an inferred difference in occupation approach between our allies and us, and though the article is dated 23 may 2004, I have no trouble accepting the supposition that the Brits would have posted this approach last year, if only because the opposite (that they were more like us, then changed tack recently) simply does not have much of a leg to stand on.

But I sense a vestige of media bias in the article as well when discussing (and repeating again and again...) the "scandal" of Abu Ghraib. In todays media driven world, any scandal almost becomes defined by the life it first gains, then maintains, through the repitition and focussing it gets from the press. It's a vicious circle; the more the press reports on the event, the more "scandalous" it continues to be... at least, until the next issue which offers a chance to further drive a wedge between coalition partners, or offers the opportunity to discredit coalition efforts through selective and partial reporting presents itself again. At which point, the first "scandal" sort of drops off the radar as the world gets to see the indignant press vigorously chew on the next morsel on it's plate.

CGVet58

[Carcharodon]

Put simply, the Brits feel they know better when it comes to occupation because of their experience in Northern Ireland.

The fact that there's still parts of South Armagh where they prefer to fly out their rubbish rather than risk the roads may give lie to this, but there you go.

Put simply, I don't believe the Brit line. If the Paras were up in Fallujah or Najaf, they'd be doing what they've done at every place they've occupied from Boston to Amritsar to Derry - shoot civilians and generally act like animals.

[elfman2]

Thanks for the ping. I’ve been away lately.

This is a hopeful and underreported side of the Fallujah story. To be realistic though, it is focused on just that one side.

This sentence near the stands out, "Col. Coleman admits using the Fallujah Brigade wasn't necessarily the Marines' first preference... " I wonder how much of an understatement that was. {smile}