The propogranda machine is alive and well

As a writer I know it is the choice of details that tips a story. Thus watching Wolf Blitzer’s A Week in The War in Iraq, I can recognize slant.

After being warned that scenes might be disturbing, viewers saw inside a hospital with wounded American soldiers. It was blander than ER. Compared to the pain of the wounded man or the pain of the Iraqis who live without electricity and water and see their loved ones shot, it was less than nothing. An American medic was saying how proud he was of what he was doing and implied his work was making his own country safe from other 9/11s and Pearl Harbors, neither of which ever involved Iraqis but CNN didn’t point that out.

A young wife told of the pain of her husband’s death highlighting the ultimate price paid by an American in Iraq. The implication? It was worth it and maybe for her it was. For others it wasn’t but that wasn’t mentioned.

A military man told of the need to convince parents that it was good to send their children to the military and that it would cost a lot.

They mentioned the billions Congress approved for the war effort without ever mentioning the million already spent that is unaccounted for.

They talked of Zarqwai’s death and what a victory it was, but they didn’t show Michael Berg, father of the beheaded contractor who spoke eloquently of his not feeling joy at another’s death and how violence only begats violence.

They talked about the treasure trove of information gathered in raids this week, and an expert talked about how if just one phone number in the US had been found in someone’s pocket how that could stop another terrorist attack. They never said a telephone number was found or most of the insurgency in Iraq was more concerned either with getting the US out or getting control of their own country. The implication is Iraq is a danger to us.

Giving them their droplet of due they did have a reporter say that in the Middle East the reputation of the US has never been lower.

I often wonder where the rage is the US, not just against the war, but the social uncertainties that would be impossible in other industrialized nations. Maybe because there are too many slanted programs.