August 20, 2005

No, the Military Does Not Know How to Win the Propaganda War

Via Glenn Reynolds, this from Michael Yon. It's sad that our military does not understand how to handle the flow of information from Iraq. For all the great stories Yon brings us, I was surprised to learn that many more are suppressed.

Just why the military considers some information "classified" while other information gets the "go ahead, write it" shrug, is not based on logic, science, or even one of those absurd but iron clad rules that codify so much of the military. Many explanations for the military's requests not to publish certain information, do not hold up well to scrutiny.

For example, our soldiers capture or kill top terror figures in Mosul routinely. Sometimes in stunning operations that display split-second timing. The "higher ups" often say, almost reflexively, that they don't want the enemy to know about these kills or captures.

Sounds reasonable. But whether soldiers sleek through dark allies with silenced weapons, slipping over walls with padded ladders, snatching sleeping terrorists from their beds before they can fully waken; or, whether they engage in a gunfight at a busy intersection and drag terrorists from behind the wheels of their cars--these are not anonymous men. Families notice when daddy's gone missing.

If we aren't keeping it secret from the enemy--and we can't keep it secret from them--who do we protect by keeping quiet? These are not illegal operations. These are examples of the effectiveness of our forces. In Mosul alone there are daily events where the Coalition gets things right, that I never write about.

If we want to convince the enemy that they cannot win and must give up fighting, every single success story must be recorded, broadcast, and loudly trumpetted at every level. What Yon reports is no way to win the propaganda battle--and if we do not win the propaganda battle we cannot win the war.

By Rusty Shackleford, Ph.D. at 03:25 PM | |