Moving to a new neighborhood - Issue #10
Special issue explanation here
Written a little over a year ago, and unfortunately, still very relevant.
May 09, 2004
Be Careful What You Believe
A recent quote from an excellent political commentator “…the war must be won, and no war is won until the losing side knows it has lost.” - Agonizing Choices - By George F. Will Friday, April 30, 2004. What he is referring to is our present difficulty in Iraq. Something that came to mind when I read that statement was how can the losing side know it has lost if the winning side is not allowed to know it has won?
At this time there is controversy over Ted Koppel and ABC’s decision to air the reading of the names of those who have died while serving in Iraq. Koppel claims this is to honor their service in the war on terror and is not a political attack on the President. I would be inclined to accept that if it were not for some rather interesting and undisputed facts. First, it is clearly a political season with the Presidential election drawing ever nearer. It is also the ratings sweeps period. Certainly the timing raises questions but there is more than mere cynicism giving me reason to doubt the lack of political motivation that they claim.
According to The New York Post, “Koppel and his producers admit that they mean to create a video version of a now-famous 1969 issue of Life magazine, which was devoted entirely to running the photos of all U.S. soldiers killed during one week's combat in Vietnam. That issue was a turning point in galvanizing Americans against the war.” - “Nightline's Transparent Stunt” by Editorial writer, April 30, 2004 (emphasis added). Other statements by Koppel, highlighted in that editorial, make it very clear that this is a political attack against the President. But there is something worse yet about this media grandstanding.
In order for the political attack against the President to be successful the show must succeed at demoralizing Americans (during a time of war!) and turning public opinion against America’s efforts in Iraq. That they are trying to emulate what the press did during the Vietnam War is revealing. We were not militarily defeated in Vietnam. We lost because the peace activists and the press destroyed public resolve. This is not just a conservative spin on history. As time goes by more information comes out about how the press distorted the results of the Tet Offensive, calling it a defeat for the U.S. as well as ignoring the success of Vietnamization as America pulled out. The most horrible thing about Vietnam is not that we lost but that we were winning and then completely abandoned an ally to utter defeat. One gets the impression that certain types are happy about that outcome. Never mind the human disaster that followed with the killing fields of Cambodia and the boat people of Vietnam.
So now we see that history and its mistakes are to be repeated and in this case it is not because the malefactors are ignoring history but because this is the very thing they want. Those who ensured our defeat in Vietnam by way of abandoning an ally are trying to do the same thing again. This time; however, they intend to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory from an enemy that has attacked us on our own soil. Our Allies have also suffered loss and violence within their own countries. The enemy threatens to continue to pursue its violent agenda all over the world. And yet the media hopes to deny us the ability to know that we have won and continue to win. How can the loser know it has lost when the victor is not allowed to realize it has won? If this is not considered lending support to the enemy I cannot imagine what is.
---
Previous Issues of "Moving To A New Neighborhood":
Issue #9 The Tyranny of Inanimate Objects
Issue #8 Do Unto Others...
Issue #7 Are Chicago Women Really This Stupid?
Issue #6 OnStar and The Nanny State
Issue #5 The Limits of Our Language
Issue #4 Abortion - Fundamental Issues
Issue #3 Mel Gibson Failed
Issue #2 Abortion - Knee Jerk Arguments
Issue #1 Jerry Springer and the Fall of Rome
Written a little over a year ago, and unfortunately, still very relevant.
May 09, 2004
Be Careful What You Believe
A recent quote from an excellent political commentator “…the war must be won, and no war is won until the losing side knows it has lost.” - Agonizing Choices - By George F. Will Friday, April 30, 2004. What he is referring to is our present difficulty in Iraq. Something that came to mind when I read that statement was how can the losing side know it has lost if the winning side is not allowed to know it has won?
At this time there is controversy over Ted Koppel and ABC’s decision to air the reading of the names of those who have died while serving in Iraq. Koppel claims this is to honor their service in the war on terror and is not a political attack on the President. I would be inclined to accept that if it were not for some rather interesting and undisputed facts. First, it is clearly a political season with the Presidential election drawing ever nearer. It is also the ratings sweeps period. Certainly the timing raises questions but there is more than mere cynicism giving me reason to doubt the lack of political motivation that they claim.
According to The New York Post, “Koppel and his producers admit that they mean to create a video version of a now-famous 1969 issue of Life magazine, which was devoted entirely to running the photos of all U.S. soldiers killed during one week's combat in Vietnam. That issue was a turning point in galvanizing Americans against the war.” - “Nightline's Transparent Stunt” by Editorial writer, April 30, 2004 (emphasis added). Other statements by Koppel, highlighted in that editorial, make it very clear that this is a political attack against the President. But there is something worse yet about this media grandstanding.
In order for the political attack against the President to be successful the show must succeed at demoralizing Americans (during a time of war!) and turning public opinion against America’s efforts in Iraq. That they are trying to emulate what the press did during the Vietnam War is revealing. We were not militarily defeated in Vietnam. We lost because the peace activists and the press destroyed public resolve. This is not just a conservative spin on history. As time goes by more information comes out about how the press distorted the results of the Tet Offensive, calling it a defeat for the U.S. as well as ignoring the success of Vietnamization as America pulled out. The most horrible thing about Vietnam is not that we lost but that we were winning and then completely abandoned an ally to utter defeat. One gets the impression that certain types are happy about that outcome. Never mind the human disaster that followed with the killing fields of Cambodia and the boat people of Vietnam.
So now we see that history and its mistakes are to be repeated and in this case it is not because the malefactors are ignoring history but because this is the very thing they want. Those who ensured our defeat in Vietnam by way of abandoning an ally are trying to do the same thing again. This time; however, they intend to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory from an enemy that has attacked us on our own soil. Our Allies have also suffered loss and violence within their own countries. The enemy threatens to continue to pursue its violent agenda all over the world. And yet the media hopes to deny us the ability to know that we have won and continue to win. How can the loser know it has lost when the victor is not allowed to realize it has won? If this is not considered lending support to the enemy I cannot imagine what is.
---
Previous Issues of "Moving To A New Neighborhood":
Issue #9 The Tyranny of Inanimate Objects
Issue #8 Do Unto Others...
Issue #7 Are Chicago Women Really This Stupid?
Issue #6 OnStar and The Nanny State
Issue #5 The Limits of Our Language
Issue #4 Abortion - Fundamental Issues
Issue #3 Mel Gibson Failed
Issue #2 Abortion - Knee Jerk Arguments
Issue #1 Jerry Springer and the Fall of Rome
Author: Mark K. Sprengel | 7:05:00 PM |
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