Originally posted by blur:
This link should move you up to the eighties in the Powell story.
http://www.consortiumnews.com/121900b.html
During the Gulf War the fact that we were putting our troops in harms way, killing Iraqis and doing it all in the name of oil was bad enough.
But by far the scariest thing to me was Powell's complete control of the media. Now that's frick'n terrifying!
This was posted at the end of an article concerning a recent State Department speech.
"There was also one more sign of the old military man in Powell. During the Gulf War, media coverage was carefully controlled. The same was done today. The retired general did not allow the media to record his speech, only to watch it on the in-house channel in the State Department."
-abcnews.com
Yes indeed, the old puppet master and consummate media spinner is back in town.
Blur,
Stay with me on this one ok.
1. We were at war with Iraq.
2. The media reported on events leading up and during the war. Not to mention afterwards.
3. Iraq also received the same news broadcasts as did all the rest of the world. Think of the broadcasts as intelligence gathering means.
4.It is bad form for your war plans to be broadcast to the enemy. It leads to excessive casualties on your side. If you need a historical perspective read up on the cracking of the Germans and Japanese codes during WW2.
Most of us were concerned that the hostilities, initiated by Iraq, be brought to a successful conclusion with as few casualties to our side as possible. That was achieved.
The fact that the media was not allowed to broadcast combat ops and plans is a fairly simple concept for me to grasp. I fail to understand why you think that is so strange given the speed and global capabilities of the media. Perhaps your military training was insufficient to allow you to understand that keeping the enemy in the dark about just what you intend to do to him is important.
A side note here. Powell wasn't the tactical or strategic commander. Schwartzkopf (sp) was the man on the ground with that control. Neither of them got to make the final decisions as to whether hostilities would occur. That was the domain of the world leaders who put the coalition together and, of course, hussein.
In this country the military does not decide world policy, deployments or if there will be hostilities. The military follows the direction of a civilian political office holder and government. The military is an extension of political power wielded by the governing body and nation they serve.
I still do not understand where you think Powell is a traitor. The work of innuendo and speculation you linked is certainly devoid of any support of treasonous activity on Powells part.
Mav
