Reality On Two Continents
If you have not subscribed to receive Michael Yon's post updates, it's an absolute MUST! That is, if you want to know what is really happening in Iraq. The Truth, The Whole Truth, and Nothing but the Truth! His last two posts are half of his report on the Anbar province today, including Fallujah. While the posts are the usual superb writing sprinkled with wit and wisdom, there were a couple of areas that I found fascinating from the stand point about what is happening here.
I've often spoken about the hypocrisy from the left, i.e., they are against the death penalty, yet are for sucking the brain out of a baby days before it is born simply because the woman carrying the child in her belly gets cold feet about motherhood. You know, "choice", and all that rot! Unfortunately, a Republican senator who has voted strictly conservative against abortion, gay marriage, et al, pled guilty to soliciting sex in a men's room. Hypocrisy is not the sole purview of the left, apparently.
Having recognized this senator's hypocrisy, while pointing out the most obvious hypocrisy of the left's view of abortion and the death penalty, I found this part of Michael Yon's post very revealing as to why al Qaeda echoes the sentiments of our left;
I've often spoken about the hypocrisy from the left, i.e., they are against the death penalty, yet are for sucking the brain out of a baby days before it is born simply because the woman carrying the child in her belly gets cold feet about motherhood. You know, "choice", and all that rot! Unfortunately, a Republican senator who has voted strictly conservative against abortion, gay marriage, et al, pled guilty to soliciting sex in a men's room. Hypocrisy is not the sole purview of the left, apparently.
Having recognized this senator's hypocrisy, while pointing out the most obvious hypocrisy of the left's view of abortion and the death penalty, I found this part of Michael Yon's post very revealing as to why al Qaeda echoes the sentiments of our left;
"Ironically, in Anbar al Qaeda has become our best ally for killing al Qaeda. They’ve managed to do this directly, just by being al Qaeda. Despite the promised carrots, what al Qaeda consistently delivered here was mostly stick, and with a special kind of hypocritical contempt that no sensible person would believe possible. (Not unlike the notion of baking the children of resistant parents or ordering shepherds to diaper the corrupting genitals of goats.)
On a more personal level, I found this portion of Part II to be especially meaningful to me;
"Dealing with the press is just a reality, like the weather. We would never put a commander in the field who refused to make plans for fighting in the cold or heat. Although it’s just a reality, cold weather, for example, could destroy a unit overnight if they had not prepared for it. As with the weather, the press also influences the enemy. Cold weather freezes everyone’s toes; bad press stalls progress. In either instance, he who is better-suited and more adaptable has a supreme advantage."
I experienced the military's phobia of the press recently when I was interviewed for a local TV interview. I had suggested that it be held in Fisher House at BAMC. No big deal, right? WRONG! I had to jump hoops you would not believe, and the reporter and cameraman had to have a "representative" with them every step of the way!
Now, mind you, I understand this totally. After all, it was the media and Cronkite who maligned my high school chums who, either by draft or by choice, fought honorably in Viet Nam. It's called, "once burned, twice shy". However as Michael Yon ably points out, we are losing the media war to al Qaeda. We all understand that, but do we understand that we need to adapt to the media war in the same way Petraus has adapted the war in counterinsurgency tactics?
We need to do so, and yesterday would not be quick enough! [P.S. Sorry for the long absence, but as I have said before, there are more pressing matters. I promise that I will post at least once a week, probably on Tuesdays. Again, my apologies.]
Al Qaeda has a management style—doing drugs, laying up sloppy drunk, raping women and boys, and cutting off heads, all while imposing strict morality laws on the locals—that makes it clear that they have one set of principles for themselves, and another for everyone else.
In that kind of scheme, it didn’t take long before people in Anbar realized that any benefits from al Qaeda having control would not be distributed equally. Once that realization spread, the tribal sheiks—almost all Sunni—had to consider the alternatives."
On a more personal level, I found this portion of Part II to be especially meaningful to me;
"Dealing with the press is just a reality, like the weather. We would never put a commander in the field who refused to make plans for fighting in the cold or heat. Although it’s just a reality, cold weather, for example, could destroy a unit overnight if they had not prepared for it. As with the weather, the press also influences the enemy. Cold weather freezes everyone’s toes; bad press stalls progress. In either instance, he who is better-suited and more adaptable has a supreme advantage."
I experienced the military's phobia of the press recently when I was interviewed for a local TV interview. I had suggested that it be held in Fisher House at BAMC. No big deal, right? WRONG! I had to jump hoops you would not believe, and the reporter and cameraman had to have a "representative" with them every step of the way!
Now, mind you, I understand this totally. After all, it was the media and Cronkite who maligned my high school chums who, either by draft or by choice, fought honorably in Viet Nam. It's called, "once burned, twice shy". However as Michael Yon ably points out, we are losing the media war to al Qaeda. We all understand that, but do we understand that we need to adapt to the media war in the same way Petraus has adapted the war in counterinsurgency tactics?
We need to do so, and yesterday would not be quick enough! [P.S. Sorry for the long absence, but as I have said before, there are more pressing matters. I promise that I will post at least once a week, probably on Tuesdays. Again, my apologies.]
Apologies accepted.
Best regards
JD in Oslo
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Am I missing something? "Apologies accepted"? I've had a simply awful day with a local military political battle, so maybe it's just me misunderstanding you?
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I wonder how many people who are horrified by Michael Vick’s actions concerning his cruel methods of disposing of unviable fighting dogs have no problem with partial birth abortion.
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Dear Lady, I am quite sure that everyone will agree with me when I say that is quite alright. You post when you can. Those men and women need you more than we do. (Not to say we don't need you!) We can wait.
PS. My hero is over in Afghanistan, and he finally posted again on the 31st of August. You can read him right here: Bill">http://billandbobsadventure.blogspot.com/">Bill and Bob's Excellent Afghan Adventure. (His name is neither Bill nor Bob. He adopted an abandoned site.) He is a great fellow, and he writes beautifully. Thanks.
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Very interesting perspective you have, Dagney, because of your Fisher House experience. You are doing a very good thing there and I'm sure it is very much appreciated.
I also look forward to reading your report on Melanie Morgan's caravan visit to San Antonio.
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