[antimedia] antimedia: When you realize what impact news has....

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Posted by antimedia:
When you realize what impact news has....
http://www.antimedia.us/posts/1167178068.shtml


   ....on [1]decision makers in Iraq, you have to wonder, is the
   distortion of the news deliberate or unintentional?

     Last year, while I was embedded with the the 3rd Battalion, 6th
     Marines (the Teufelhunden) in Husaybah, I attended several meetings
     between the U.S and Iraqi militaries, and the tribal sheikhs and
     politicians of the Qaim region. One of the major concerns expressed
     by the sheikhs and politicians was a fear of a rapid withdrawal by
     U.S. forces. At this point in time, Representative John Murtha was
     advocating a rapid âstrategic redeploymentâ of U.S. force to
     locations outside of Iraq.
     I specifically asked the tribal leaders if they watch the news
     coming out of the United states, and if the news impacts their
     decision making process. The answer in every case was yes,
     absolutely. The sheikhs' primary concern was the U.S. would
     withdraw from the region, and those who collaborated with the U.S.
     and Iraqi forces would fall prey to al-Qaeda.
     The situation in Anbar province has not changed, and the tribal
     sheikhs and politicians still watch the Western media. Today, the
     release and implications Iraq Study Group report is their main
     concern. Last week, I attended the Fallujah city council meeting
     and the Anbar province mayor's meeting. The Iraq Study Group report
     was the main topic of concern at the Fallujah city council meeting,
     and a primary topic at the Anbar province mayor's meeting.

   Knowing this makes deliberate decisions to lie, such as the AP's use
   of the non-existent "police spokeman" Jamail Hussein, all the more
   detestable and unacceptable.
   When the history of the Iraq war is written, the media's abject
   failure to report the truth should be front and center in explaining
   the driving force between decisions made by both sides.

References

   1. http://billroggio.com/archives/2006/12/anbar_province_and_t.php