6/30/2007

New York Rose?

An interesting thought, via Instapundit:

Namely, that the Japanese psychological warfare effort during World War II ncluded radio broadcasts that could be picked up by American troops. Popular music was played, but the commentary (by one of several English speaking Japanese women) always hammered away on the same points:

1 Your President (Franklin D Roosevelt) is lying to you.
2 This war is illegal.
3 You cannot win the war.

The troops are perplexed and somewhat amused that their own media is now sending out this message. Fighting the enemy in Iraq is simple, compared to figuring out what news editors are thinking back home.

7 comments:

David said...

Odd, but I have heard these claims made by American media almost not at all. National reporters seem to have an almost pathological aversion to using "Bush" and "lie" in the same sentence. The interesting question of the war's legality has been all but ignored in the MSM. And maybe you can show me what I have missed, but I can't recall ever reading or hearing a MSM reporter saying that U.S. troops can't win the war.

Sure, lots of other people have said these things, and obviously the media have reported them. But isn't that, like, their job?

Anonymous said...

You are so right David. And it took me a few minutes to step back and think about what you said and why it so highly annoyed me.

In spirit of fairness, isn't it, like, the media's job to give equal, repetitive reportage to good and honorable voices discussing events blocking the Terrorists of War?

"We cannot win," reported continuously is a message. Repeating the slogan often enough the media now represents the message.

Is it possible U.S. Troops are hearing an agenda in what reporters claim they are not saying through repetitive reporting?

Anonymous said...

When 90% plus of every MSM "story" about the war in Iraq over the past 3 years has been negative... well... the MSM is claiming something. All you have to do is open your ears.

Anonymous said...

The war in Iraq was won years ago. It is the occupation, and the resistance to the occupation, which is causing us problems.

One doesn't "win" an occupation, although one can suppress a resistance movement.

And certainly there has been much to criticise in the administration's handling of both war and occupation. If one doesn't like the executive to be questioned by the media, one could always move to Venezuela. Our military is an incredibly valuable human and technological research, and the human part of that resource deserves for the officials and policies applying it and the efficiency and value of its use to be questioned constantly by hte citizens, media and anyone else who wants ot in the free and open democratic society to which it belongs.

David said...

90 percent of all news coverage is negative. Why should Iraq be any different?

Anonymous said...

Why not indeed, unless 90% negative news is an agenda.

After all, the real effect of negative coverage might be seen as a media attempt to discourage discussion of The Occupation issue.

Anonymous said...

And speaking of good news...