Why Is The Main Stream Media Harsh On Mitt Romney's Comments On American Embassies Being Attacked

The Media Lash Out: Bashing Mitt’s Mideast Comments -- John Podhoretz, New York Post

The murders of US diplomats in Libya and the attempted storming of the US Embassy in Cairo took place 56 days before the election of America’s next president.

Apparently, it is the view of much of the mainstream media and foreign-policy establishment that discussing these horrific events in the course of the presidential campaign is monstrous.

One might think that these custodians of the public good would wish the discussion to be of nothing else. The United States and its representatives abroad have been attacked, and in a manner that threatens to spread like wildfire. You’d think everyone would agree it’s time to talk foreign policy.

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My Comment: A few years after the Soviet Union collapsed I had the good fortune of watching a seminar in Moscow on how the Soviet media had to operate during the time of Communism .... specifically on what they could (and could not) report .... and how it should be reported. But what struck me about this seminar was that all the journalists and news anchor persons that were present were universal in commenting that the most important part of their job was to work together and frame what would be the number one news story for that day .... and report on it extensively with their spin on it.

Yesterday .... I saw the U.S. main stream media do exactly that .... making Mitt Romney the story and not the U.S. foreign policy disaster that was unfolding in the Middle East. John Podhoretz is right .... media bias is now the norm for our large print and media news outlets .... and we the public are poorer for it.

Update: ABC, CBS, NBC Devote More Time (20 to 1) to Romney Flap Than Obama Mideast Mistakes -- News Busters

Will The Media Skip The 2,000th Afghan War Death On President Obama's Watch?

U.S. Army Capt. Joseph Driskell passes through tall grass during a partnered patrol near Muqor in Afghanistan's Ghazni province, June 25, 2012. Driskell, a company commander, is assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division's 1st Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Michael J. MacLeod

Media Skip 2,000th Afghan War Death On Obama's Watch -- IBD Editorial

Media Bias: The latest incident of Afghan forces firing on NATO troops underscores the lack of media attention to an important milestone and the fact that most Afghan casualties have occurred on this president's watch.

We don't expect an apology from the Afghan government of Mohammed Karzai for the latest incident of green-on-blue violence, in which members of the Afghan security force turn on their NATO allies.

But we marvel at the media's relative indifference to things that would be screaming headlines if they happened on the watch of President George W. Bush.

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My Comment: The media are not the only ones who are AWOL on this story .... the American public's interest on the subject has also disappeared. Unless you have a loved one in the military .... most are focused on subjects such as the economy, health care, jobs, etc.. .... America's wars are on the bottom of their list.

Sizeable Minority In U.S. Continue To Trust The Media

Majority in U.S. Continues To Distrust The Media, Perceive Bias -- Gallop

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The majority of Americans still do not have confidence in the mass media to report the news fully, accurately, and fairly. The 44% of Americans who have a great deal or fair amount of trust and the 55% who have little or no trust remain among the most negative views Gallup has measured.

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My Comment: Only 55% do not trust the media .... sighhhh .... we are a gullible nation. Byron York has an interesting take on how bias in the media works.

Most See Media As Biased And Unethical

The Hill Poll: Most Voters See Media As Biased And Unethical -- The Hill

Likely voters hold a dismal view of the news media, generally regarding reporters as biased, unethical and too close to the politicians they purport to cover, according to a new poll for The Hill.

A full 68 percent of voters consider the news media biased, the poll found. Most, 46 percent, believe the media generally favor Democrats, while 22 percent said they believe Republicans are favored, with 28 percent saying the media is reasonably balanced.

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My Comment: Only 68 percent of voters consider the news media biased .... no .... the figure is closer to 80%-90%.

Are The 'Kill Team' Photos 'Much Worse' Than Abu Ghraib?

Rumsfeld On 'Kill Team' Photos: 'Much Worse' Than Abu Ghraib -- Washington Times

Rolling Stone published horrific photos reportedly taken by members of the U.S. Military who allegedly were part of what is being called the "Kill Team." These individuals have been described by the Army, according to Rolling Stone, as a "rogue unit" operating completely on its own, "without the knowledge of its superiors.”

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My Comment: People were killed in Afghanistan .... so definitely yes .... it is much worse. But the difference in media and news coverage between Abu Gharib and what this "Kill team" did in Afghanistan is both startling and revealing on how politics and media coverage works in the U.S.

Read it all.

What Is The BBC Thinking?

Criticised: Ben Batt and Mackenzie Crook in the BBC's controversial drama Accused

I'm No Supporter Of This War, But I Despair At The BBC's Denigration Of Our Troops -- The Daily Mail

On Monday evening, BBC1 broadcast a shocking hour-long drama called Accused by the writer Jimmy McGovern.

It depicted the British Army in Afghanistan as a brutish, corrupt and dysfunctional institution.

The programme has provoked more than 200 complaints from the public. It has also attracted the wrath of various senior military figures, including the former Chief of Staff, General Lord Dannatt, who is so outraged that he has called into question the BBC’s role as a public service broadcaster.

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My Comment: It is easier to pick on and degrade the soldiers than say .... the Muslim extremists that they are fighting against. Because lets face it .... which of the two groups would most likely to retaliate against the BBC producers.

No Positive Stories Of British Military Heroes On The BBC

Private hero ... Private Johnson Gideon Beharry, the first person to be awarded the Victoria Cross in 23 years. Photo from the Sydney Morning Herald

Hero's Tale Is 'Too Positive' For The BBC -- The Telegraph

Amid the deaths and the grim daily struggle bravely borne by Britain's forces in southern Iraq, one tale of heroism stands out.

Private Johnson Beharry's courage in rescuing an ambushed foot patrol then, in a second act, saving his vehicle's crew despite his own terrible injuries earned him a Victoria Cross.

For the BBC, however, his story is "too positive" about the conflict.

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My Comment: When I read stories like this one, it becomes just another example on how the news media has become more focused on pushing a certain agenda instead of reporting on the news.

On a side note, in his own words Private Johnson Beharry writes about his actions and what he experienced on the day that resulted with him being awarded the Victoria Cross. That link is here.

More Media Bias Revealed

On the left, the uncropped photo. On the right, Reuters' released photo. (Reuters)

Reuters Admits Cropping Photos of Ship Clash, Denies Political Motive -- FOX News

The British-based Reuters news agency has been stung for the second time by charges that it edited politically sensitive photos in a way that casts Israel in a bad light. But this time Reuters claims it wasn’t at fault.

The news agency reacted to questions raised by an American blogger who showed that Reuters' photo service edited out knives and blood traces from pictures taken aboard the activist ship Mavi Marmara during a clash with Israeli commandos last week. Nine people were killed and scores were injured in the clash.

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My Comment: I am deliberately using FOX News .... a user of the Reuters News Agency and a media outlet that many liberals (and some conservatives) despise for being biased in their own reporting .... to highlight how the major news services are biased in covering wars and conflicts.

Am I surprised about this media bias .... are you surprised .... of course not. Journalists and their editors .... like their readers .... have their own biases .... and it will be reflected in their reporting and editing.

This is one of the reasons why I try my best to post links from numerous news agencies .... including those who may be on the opposite side of a story. War News Updates is (after-all) a blog that aggregates the news that is out there, and I try my best to lump it all together for my own info and yours.

As a bonus .... once in a while I will dump my own biased commentary on a story .... especially on stories that raise my eyebrows. I do it to work on (and improve) my English, and to clarify my own thoughts and opinions on a particular story. As to those who may find my comments annoying at times .... well too bad .... I have my own biases and opinions and I will never shy away from sharing them with you.

Can Science Help Tell Us What Is True And What Is False?

War Is Peace: Can Science Fight Media Disinformation? -- Scientific American

In the 24/7 Internet world, people make lots of claims. Science provides a guide for testing them.

When I saw the statement repeated online that theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking of the University of Cambridge would be dead by now if he lived in the U.K. and had to depend on the National Health Service (he, of course, is alive and working in the U.K., where he always has), I reflected on something I had written a dozen years ago, in one of my first published commentaries:

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My Comment: As a media junkie for 30 years I have learned one simple truth .... what is true to someone is not true to someone else .... and there is nothing that anyone can do to change this simple truth.

For this blog, I try my best to bring opposing points of view. I do this by linking to posts from news sites and bloggers from other countries .... even those that I am in complete disagreement with and with what they are reporting on.

But will science help in telling me on what is true and not .... I doubt it. News is rarely a subject that is black and white .... it (in fact) has many shades and much of the reporting that we are now witnessed to is a reflection of that bias. Is this a bad thing .... from my point of view I will have to say no. If anything, the beauty of the internet and 24 hour cable news is that this bias is now exposed for all to see.

A Special Recognition To Two Blogs And Their Posts On Lance Corporal Joshua Bernard

WNU Editor: In doing this blog, I am always reading and scanning news web sites and blogs. On the case of Lcpl Joshua Bernard, there are two bloggers whose comments and analysis stick out and deserve recognition for their style of writing, analysis, and (more importantly) being thoughtful on a difficult moment for the Bernard family. I have posted their posts below.

Concerning Lance Corporal Joshua Bernard -- Captain's Journal

In response to Publishing the Marine Photo: Remember the Words of Christ, John Bernard, 1stsgt USMC ret., speaks.

I am Lcpl Joshua Bernard’s Father. I deeply appreciate your intense concern over this immoral act and believe these folks are working without a functional conscience as described in Romans chapter 1. Having said that; I will make the same point here that I have now made repeatedly in interviews. We cannot let this ‘distraction’ change the important elements of the greater story and that is the implimentation of the new ROE. There aren’t 1000 Afghan lives that are worth a single Marine’s life. I say this because I am first an American and Marine – not a world citizen. We have a right and responsibility to export violence to defend these shores and our citizenry. Anything less and we will be judged ‘found wanting’ as the Bible describes those who fail to do what they know to be right. It is time for us to hold our elected officials accountable and renind them that they are Americans and for the attrocities against our Warriors that they are complicit in. Keep fighting the fight guys, here in your blog as I am with this small window of opportunity I have been given through the shed blood of my only son.

John Bernard
1stsgt USMC ret.

For more, see Proud to be a Marine.

Publishing the Marine Photo: Remember the Words of Christ -- Captain's Journal

As you know, there is a current professional scuffle going on over the issue of the AP decision to publish a photo of a Marine after he had been mortally wounded by an RPG, but prior to his death. I refuse to re-publish the photo, but if you care to view it you can find it at the links I provide. I must provide links in order to critique the incident.

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Why No One Cares that Media Corporations Are Going Out of Business -- Information Disemination

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and the Associated Press had a bit of a disagreement on Friday. An AP photographer named Julie Jacobson, embedded with the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines, in Afghanistan’s Helmand province - included a picture of Lance Cpl. Joshua M. Bernard while being treated by what turns out to be a mortal wounded from an RPG. The Associated Press decided to distribute the photo as part of its package for the story, at which time Secretary Gates sent the following letter to AP President and CEO Thomas Curley.

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Do Journalists Have Contempt For The Military?

Soldier Turned Journalist Finds Contempt for Military Among Classmates, Teachers -- News Busters

In May 2007, Matt Mabe was a junior Army officer who had done two tours of duty in Iraq and was leaving the service for good to pursue a career in journalism -- or so he thought.

In "One of Us," which appears in the new issue of the Columbia Journalism Review, Mabe reveals that of his journalism school colleagues, "most, it seemed, had never met a veteran," although that didn't stop them and their teachers and lecturers from hostile stereotyping of military members as troubled, poor, scheming, and stupid.

I was twenty-seven and had spent my entire adult life in uniform. The thought of abandoning my unit in a time of war made me feel cowardly. But having already served two grueling tours in Iraq, I convinced myself that I'd done enough.

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My Comment: One of the reasons why we started this blog was to compile a history of main stream media reporting on the war in Iraq, and compare it to what military bloggers were saying in the same war theater.

We found that there was/is a great disconnect.

With President Obama in the office, the main stream media has toned down much of their criticism of the military and of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. But I personally believe that this will change in a short period of time. The culture within the major networks and print media are "instinctively" hostile to the culture of the military, and as the body bags continue to come back from Afghhanistan .... criticism and the media's contempt of the military will start to show again.

Measuring The Media Footprint: Coverage Of War-Time Casualties In The MSM

Ba Chuc, a Vietnamese community in the Mekong Delta, sits just across the border from Cambodia. In April 1978, Khmer Rouge soldiers entered the village and massacred 3,157 men, women, and children—almost the entire population. Photo from Joel Carillet

From Augean Stables:

I recently had an email exchange with a PhD student at Oxford who saw my posting about the study of war casualties in which I pointed out that .06 percent of those killed in wars since 1950 died in the Arab-Israeli conflict, and .3 percent of the Muslims killed in conflicts since then were killed by Israelis. He was struck by how his colleagues could talk of nothing but Israelis killing Gazans, despite the extraordinary violence to be found the world over, much of it really intentional. As he put it in a subsequent email:

The first seminar of the term dealt with a new book, which deals with intentions, double effect and blame. Need I say that the first example (and the main one used to discuss issues of war) was Gaza? And need I add that the lecturer seemed to suggest (although she wasn’t very clear on this point) that it’s controversial what the Israelis’ intentions are (i.e. did they REALLY only want to kill terrorists) but that it’s quite obvious that the actions were disproportionate. (I think that the opposite is true, i.e. that Israel clearly tried to avoid killing civilians but that reasonable observers can disagree on its adherence to proportionality considerations).

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My Comment: This is an excellent post. A must read.

A Staged Scene in a Gaza Hospital? - Update: CNN Yanks Video Middle East

From Little Green Footballs:

Norwegian doctor Mads Gilbert, a radical Marxist who openly supports Hamas and the 9/11 hijackers, is seen once again in this CNN video about the death of a “freelance cameraman’s” brother in Gaza — and the footage in the hospital room was very likely staged for propaganda effect.

A closer view of the scene in the hospital room is here at CNN: Toll of conflict strikes home as cameraman finds brother dead - CNN.com.

LGF reader “Last Mohican,” a doctor, makes a strong case that this is an obvious fake.

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My Comment: If true .... this reflects very badly on CNN. How can we trust their reporting?