you're the man Stephen!...keep up the good work

There is an old saying from some football coach, I believe: "It ain't braggin' if it's true."

You could almost modify that a bit:
"It ain't propaganda if it's true."

I thought it was astonishing that PBS would invite someone with the wit of Ralph Peters to offer his opinions on any subject, considering how he was likely to overwhelm any opponents.

In the spring of 1998 Mr. Peters published an article in “PARAMETERS” (US Army War College quarterly journal) titled "Spotting the Losers: Seven Signs of Non-Competitive States" that brilliantly summarizes the features predictive of cultural suicide.

The sad thing is that there should be people who see things so clearly, but so few people can be bothered to acquaint themselves with the ideas or facts. Instead we get a studio audience applauding Tonight Show writers' joke that Bush’s White House Christmas tree “has 25,000 lights – that’s ONE for every indicted member of his administration!” Have I missed something? I thought there was — count them, now — ONE person in indicted... Well, unless you actually think Mr. T. Flocco’s thorazine prescription doesn’t need to be increased.

You did good Stephen. But I wish you'd seriously consider the implications, so you could write up the Moral Hazard of a Free Press (better than I've done.)

The media coverage possibilities cover a continuum from PR/ propaganda in favor of war, thru balanced pro-war/anti-war, thru PR against war.

This continuum correlates to Americans killed, even if the numbers aren't known.
My own guess is something like 600 - 1200 -- 2400. Had the press been PR for war (and Bush), only 600 Americans would have been killed by now. With a balanced press, only 1200. With a press doing PR against war (against Bush, FOR the terrorists), 2400.

Somebody believing the press IS balanced, and not so important, might say 2000 - 2200 - 2400. Or any other numbers, reflecting an estimate of casualties based on media.

Media DOES matter, meaning Americans are dying because of "free speech", including PR against Bush (usually = against the war = for Saddam/ terrorists).

Oh yeah? Well how do we know you're not just spoutin' some of the Army propaganda Martini Boy, hmmmmmmm?

The LA Times' Tim Rutten is back on the "propaganda" soap box, more bitter and condescending than ever...

http://www.calendarlive.com/columnists/rutten/cl-et-rutten3dec03,0,3137922.column?coll=cl-home-more-channels

At least now I know that democracy in the Middle East is impossible because it's never been done before. Sheesh...

The thing that struck me about the tiny discussion on PBS last night was that the position of Mr. Peters' opponent boiled down to this absurdity: That if we are not perfect and blameless in all aspects of our own performance, we have no right whatsoever to be be there at all.

What a load of dingo's kidneys.

It's the Left's justification for opposing anything attempted by anyone other than themselves. They never apply such rigid standards to their own programs. Look at the utter silence of the Left on the massive embezzlement and fraud that was used to fund Air America, and on Clinton's clemency for the Puerto Rican terrorists, his ordering the midnight abduction of 6-year-old Elian Gonzales by black-uniformed INS agents armed with submachine guns, et cetera.

The Left are trying to say that propaganda is inherently evil, while at the same time they do not hesitate to spread rumors, lies, and allegations-presented-as-proven-fact, whenever it suits them. Logical consistency is not demonstrably not part of their intellectual skillset.

Sorry. One "not" too many.

should have read:

Logical consistency is demonstrably not part of their intellectual skillset.

"At least now I know that democracy in the Middle East is impossible because it's never been done before. Sheesh..."

I guess nobody on the Left has ever heard of Israel. Except, of course, when a splodeydope 'sacrifices' himself for the grand cause of Greater Palestine. Then it's all Israel's fault. Those damn dirty Jews....

Fox Newswatch was hilarious yesterday. The likes of Gabler and Jane what's her name, disparaging attempts by our side to level the propaganda playing field were so disingenuous. They both spew Democrat Party talking points as "truth".

Your not the only one that has something to say about this. Here is a good companion piece.

In Praise of Propaganda

Papa Ray
West Texas
USA