Public Affairs, aka, Politician Interaction with the Media may challenge that ranking. By Public Affairs, I'm not referring to the branch of the Military charged with publishing the objective facts of our operations. I'm referring to the attempts by Politicians to sway the people that will put them in power or keep them in power.
There's a new "civilian casaulty" story making its rounds in the world of "journalism" these days. The original story was first published here on January 24, 2009. The Military knew there was potential for misperception because one of the combatants was a woman, using a Rocket Propelled Grenade Launcher. They reported it. We reported it.
While it was mildly surprising that the American media picked up the story of our forces taking on the Taliban in Laghman Province, it was not surprising that they chose to parrot the enemy propaganda, nor that the Taliban were claiming their dead terrorists were civilians.
While the AP leads their report with repetition of the Taliban allegations as repeated by others, it is
not until the end that they first recognize the fact that the enemy routinely threaten Afghan civilians with death if they don't make such false allegations. Even in that paragraph, they attempt to cast doubt on a less concrete statement.
The fact that the Taliban make false allegations of civilian deaths at the hands of the Coalition, nor the fact that they threaten the local populace with death if they don't parrot the false allegations, is in no way in doubt, to anyone with experience in Afghanistan. It's not a new tactic.
The twist in their story is that our stalwart ally, Hamid Karzai, twists one off in the backs of Our Troops, again, while simultaneously asking that we send more Troops. They do aptly point out that he is involved in an election campaign. It seems there's always one going on causing politicians to make idiotic statements they should know better of, but feel compelled to do so, to attain or retain office.
It is unsurprising that my co-author found his statements ungrateful in her story of the 23rd. It is unsurprising that my esteemed colleague, Bouhammer finds the politics disgraceful in earlier commentary on his page. But I try to put some perspective to the issue and the difficulties Karzai faces here.
But the politics of it all are taking some strange and retaliatory, though predictable twists. As mentioned previously here, Karzai is in the awkward position of having to respond "with objectivity" to the Taliban allegations. He would lose all credibility with his electorate if he did not investigate before pronouncing the report false.
But Karzai also has a bit of political payback to take care of. It is said that Obama's visit to the President of Afghanistan was full of arrogance, full of orders, and generally disrespectful of the proud Afghan that has led his Nation to democracy and freedom. Now, it's being reported by the AP that the Obama Administration may be considering a move to not endorse Karzai in his Nation's elections.
It's possible that the relationship between democratic leaders can be repaired, but it's not the most likely probability. Disrespect leaves a lasting impression on long memoried Afghans. Things can get much worse between the two leaders and hence the two Nations, particularly if Karzai is voted out of office. He's far from perfect but there are few possibilities closer to it in the running.
But we're also seeing the cracks in some Republicans and their Support for the Military. It is the oddity rather than the norm so far, but at least one hard line Republican has used the report to attack Obama. Let me point this out to the numbskulls that wish to use the Troops as a prop for political campaigns: Bush was not directing misguided MPs to take pictures of their stupidity nor was Obama on the operation in question.
Do you know what happens when successes and mistakes of the field of combat are used to build up or tear down the National Leader? They in turn place stupid restrictions on the troops. When politicians make stupid statements such as "I will order the full retreat of the Military from Iraq on my first day," they feel compelled to follow through on that statement, regardless of whether or not they've come to the realization of its ignorance.
So, we are seeing a new round of the dangers of Politicians interaction with the Media. We are seeing the results of the arrogance of a first term Senator disrespecting a foreign ally and President. We are seeing the continued parroting of the enemy propaganda by the media. We are seeing the beginnings of what could lead to very negative results. Most importantly, to this article, is that we are seeing the negative consequences of politics on winning a war.
And another important point to be made is that just as the media has picked particular stories to tell and particular quotes of Troops to use to make them out to be less intelligent, so too are we accepting the filter of the same media to tell us what Karzai is saying about this. It does not take into account the AIHRC report taking to task the enemy for their war crimes, their crimes against Islam, and their blatant anti-Islamic activities.
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