Tuesday, March 25, 2003

(Very) Limited Coverage According to an Australian paper Tim McLean, a New Zealand pilot, disobeyed a U.S. order to drop a bomb. But I can find no coverage - other than that Aussie paper - that deals with this. Did it happen? comment []  permalink  7:51:15 PM

More Perception and Media, and It All Sort of Boils Down to HOW We Choose to See Wampum blog offers a bit of insight into .the influence of bias in media coverage... not just in the US but all around. A feature writer on the (UK) Sun has resigned over the tabloid's "gung-ho" stance on the war against Iraq. Even the Wall Street Journal suggests that the world media has become wary of the United States. But in reality, we (around the globe, not just Americans and not just with American press) are wary now of all information - and with just cause. A link from Australia's Air Force military site to an explanation of Plato's Allegory of a Cave, is an allegory of people basing their perceptions of reality on mere shadows of the true reality. Timothy Thomas, of the Foreign Military Affairs Studies Office in Ft Levenworth, Kansas says, "The complexity of today's national security environment has offered many opportunities for combatants to alter perceptions and facts and to complicate the United Nation's decision-making process." (That was in 1995, by the way.) And, as Norman Solomon of Fair, writes "the perception of an operation can be as important to success as the execution of that operation." Another look. Not at all pleasant. comment []  permalink  7:37:59 PM

Arrgh Well, a small car fire, a tow truck, classes, life, my inability to hack a firewall, and the needs of animals have all drawn me back to reality. Thus, no updates for an entire day (almost). May need to rethink all this. comment []  permalink  6:45:11 PM

A Matter of Perception There's more than one way to look at things. Christina Lamb is an independent journalist - not embedded and says she is not restricted by the 'coalition forces' in what she can say. She says "the situation in Iraq is much different on the ground than what she is seeing reported in the US and UK, and to what the military is giving as official versions of events to reporters." But many, disagree. It's "historic," insists Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who added, "I doubt that in a conflict of this type, there's ever been the degree of free press coverage as you are witnessing." The Washington Post reports that many newspapers are choosing not to run photos of the US POWs because they "are too painful." Others disagree, including Jerry Lanson in a commentary at the Christian Science Monitor. comment []  permalink  11:08:37 AM

Patriot Act Update "The Supreme Court rebuffed an attempt yesterday by civil liberties lawyers to challenge the secret wiretapping that has been one of the Bush administration's main legal weapons in the war against terrorism." But they made no comment on the constitutional issues involved. comment []  permalink  6:27:04 AM

Patriotism and Protest Can they coexist? One of the freedoms U.S. soldiers fight for is our right to free speech. As a UPI writer says today, "The solidarity of support for our troops, however, must not create the impression that criticizing the administration's policy toward Iraq is unpatriotic." Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer has defended the right of Australians to protest against the war in Iraq; however, school children have been warned not to attend. It's about perceptions of right and wrong, fear about loss of freedoms, morals, confusion, and ambivalence. But as an attendee at a future military leaders lunch wrote, "If this nation's future military leaders can harbor qualms about this war, civilian critics ought to be able to harbor them, too." comment []  permalink  5:10:34 AM

Sandstorms, SARS, and Stupidity Sand and rain making life difficult near the Euphrates River... increasing risk of "friendly fire" says Alessio Vinci on CNN, who had been in black out conditions until coming under American friendly fire. Beijing may have as many as 100 cases of SARS. $74.7 billion for 30 days... Basra, 1.7 million people, no water or electricity, Euphrates River contaminated with sewage. Nearby humanitarian aid can't get in. Does anyone seriously care who wore what to the Oscars? comment []  permalink  4:46:32 AM

In the Early AM 4:06 am (EST) - Concern of mines in the Waterways. Those sleeping below the water line of Australian ship Hmsa Kanimbla asked to move to upper levels, according to Becky Diamond, CNN. A number of mines have been found on Iraqi vessels, but none have been found in the water yet. 4:07 - Kevin Sites in northern Iraq has heard about a dozen explosions. "Things are heating up... [sounds like] powerful, rolling thunder coming in our direction." 4:11 - British officials say Basra is "legitimate military target," but apparently tanks will only be at the outskirts to minimize "collateral damage." Hope it works. comment []  permalink  4:25:24 AM

© Copyright 2003 Jennifer Hicks. Last update: 3/31/03; 7:05:51 AM.

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