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To: Miss Marple; The Great Satan; riri
The question is not one of having confidence in our Dubya or in Tony Blair. It is a lack of confidence in the general publics of Great Britain and the United States. More to the point, a lack of confidence in the mass media. Headlines and images like the following DO MATTER:

From the AP via Yahoo News: "Millions Worldwide Rally Against Iraq War."


Partial AP/Yahoo News Caption: Anti-war protesters demonstrate near the United Nations headquarters, Saturday, Feb 15, 2003 in New York to protest a possible U.S. - led attack on Iraq, part of a day of global protests. The crowd stretched for 20 blocks along First Avenue...(AP Photo/Shawn Baldwin) [emphasis mine]

Riri, your point that most in the general public are clueless is absolutely correct. To the extent that they pay any attention to news at all, the vast majority of people only skim the surface of news stories. Their opinions are easily buffeted by breathless headlines, dramatic images, superficial talking heads, and malicious polls.

When you or I look at the photo above, we take the time to analyze it. Most FReepers are likely to notice that there are many signs and banners in foreign languages, including Arabic, but not one American flag. Central in the photo is a huge sign from the rabidly anti-American hard Left group A.N.S.W.E.R. You and I will notice, but the vast majority of the public will only notice a sea of prostesters from around the world on TV tonight.

We must never forget that Tony Blair (bless him) is the head of the Labour Party, a coalition of mostly hard Left dolts, many of whom were probably out among the protesters today. Blair could very easily wind up facing a no confidence vote organized by political enemies to his Left. Then what?

MY POINT TO ALL OF YOU IS THAT PUBLIC RELATIONS MATTERS A GREAT DEAL. In some ways it is even more important than careful war planning.

As for France, they did blind-side Bush and Powell. That's not my opinion, it's what every analyst on Fox News has been saying for the past 10 days or so whenever the subject comes up. It's what many commentators have said in opinion pieces. How have they blind-sided us? By actively and sneakily working to forge an anti-American, anti-British coalition with, among others, Germany, Russia and China to use the UN to tie our hands.

I know it's hard for Americans to even comprehend that it might be possible, but the very international instruments we have used since the end of WWII to keep the peace and foster global free trade could be turned against us. France could easily go the next step and begin seeking sanctions against us if we go into Iraq essentially alone. We would be — heck, we are being — painted as the aggressors; as the danger to world peace.

Please, my FReeper friends, you are all too smart and saavy to under-estimate the danger of losing the public relations aspects of this war.

I would love for us on FR to figure out a way to help this President. But first we need to recognize the very real dangers we face, not just from WMD, but from WMS: Weapons of Mass Stupidity.

59 posted on 02/15/2003 6:37:55 PM PST by Wolfstar
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To: Wolfstar
You make a good point about PR. However, the demonstrations today didn't get nearly the attention I thought they would. In addition, the New York Times came down on the side of the administration and for the war, which quite surprised me.

Since the media, like lemmings, follow the Times, we will see more pro-war stuff from them. I can only conclude that Howell Raines was given a briefing and told to get on board.

I expect that pretty soon a few papers in Britain, as well as the BBC, will begin to change their tune. After all, the British are notoriously disdainful of the French. A few weeks of playing that asinine French foreing minister on BBC and Sky News, and we won't be having too many more demonstrations, I think. (I am only saying this half-humorously.)

You are right that there is a fine line to be walked, and the president is doing so. He came in at the nick of time with that excellent State of the Union speech followed by Powell's presentation, and support for the war soared.

I just think a lot of people are overreacting to the UN. Nothing was a surprise to me, since I expect little from that group.

At any rate, we will see the next act of this drama next week, and I expect all of us will be surprised.

60 posted on 02/15/2003 6:50:00 PM PST by Miss Marple
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To: Wolfstar
I remember the same thing in London before Desert Storm. What we have on our hands now is Gulf War II: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut.
62 posted on 02/15/2003 6:52:52 PM PST by The Great Satan (Revenge, Terror and Extortion: A Guide for the Perplexed)
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