[StriperSniper]

That press hotel has some serious clout with someone. All of Baghdad is in a blackout except for the traffic circle? Talk about Hollywood Magic.

While preaching against the war, the media invested heavily in run-up to it. They wanted it more than just about anyone. As far as the media war, Fox is the victor by far. Remember, it was GW I that made CNN.

[maica]

"... the media invested heavily in run-up to it. They wanted it more than just about anyone."

***

For most people, it seems, memories of Viet Nam begin with the draft, or the build-up, or the Tet offensive or even the anti-war movement.

I was following politics in th early 60s - not a Kennedy supporter! - and remember a media drumbeat of several years of reporting about the unrest in South Viet Nam. When Kennedy was president, we had 'observers' over there and the media were constantly whining why we (America) did not DO SOMETHING. They showed regularly on TV, all the hardships caused by the ruling party (Catholics) as the Buddhists set themselves on fire in the middle of Saigon.

It occurred to me then that the media were stirring up the political stew out of boredom, and that political and war correspondents were much more invested in seeing Action in Viet Nam than the Kennedy administration was.

Kennedy died, Johnson took over, the Tonkin Incident happened and everybody knows the rest.

I will always believe that a lot of the blame for the chain reaction that led to the terrible losses of our brave servicemen lies at the feet of bored journalists.