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August 01, 2006

War Strategy Vs. War Dead

The current Israeli-Lebanese conflict is one that easily lends itself to two very different types of media coverage. For instance, following Israel's bombing of a residence in Qana that killed 57 civilians, 37 of whom were children, some have decried the seemingly senseless killing while others have stressed the Israeli claim – backed up by photos – that Hezbollah militants were dressing as civilians and launching their attacks on Israel from residential areas.

With all the propaganda permeating media coverage these days, it is hard to tell what is truth and what is fiction. If Hezbollah is using civilians as human shields, then Hezbollah is responsible for the deaths of the Qana children. If they are not, then Israel is responsible. I don't think we will ever know who is responsible. And I'm not sure it ultimately matters who was at fault.

Here is why. So long as the media focuses on the strategy and intrigue of making war, such as whether or not Hezbollah is hiding out in residential areas, the public will continue to support war, no matter which side they favor. But if the media starts showing the reality of war – the dead women and blown up babies – the public will become outraged and clamor for peace.

Could that be the reason why we're not seeing graphic photographs of the dead on television or in the "polite" mainstream press? If Fox News showed its viewers what war really looks like and told them an important historical fact: that this was not Israel's first horrible attack on Qana's children, would American mothers and fathers finally see that perhaps leaping into war was not the right move for Israel? I have to believe the public would pressure President Bush to push harder for diplomacy and peace talks to end this nightmare and put the Middle East back on the road to peace.

Unfortunately, it looks as if peace does not fit with the President's plans.

Posted by Becky at August 1, 2006 10:09 AM