Will the Real Milblog Please Stand Up?
Do you know any war veterans?
Submitted by Fightin' 6th Marines.
Seriously, take a look at the submitter's blog, then answer this for me:
Just what percentage of 'milblogs' are U.S. propaganda exercises?
Do you know any war veterans?
Submitted by Fightin' 6th Marines.
Seriously, take a look at the submitter's blog, then answer this for me:
Just what percentage of 'milblogs' are U.S. propaganda exercises?
Comments
How do you define propaganda? Is it simply anything published that you don't agree with or don't like?
Yes, I too am concerned about the delicate balance between allowing expression and the need to protect the security of the troops and ensure success of the mission. But that doesn't mean the information you read on a milblog isn't true. As with all information sources, the reader must evaluate the context and the source of the information and make a determination as to its value.
The point I'm getting at is that although the information in milblogs may be incomplete and biased, I don't believe it is any more incomplete or biased than the information you usually get from media employees (I'm reluctant to call them reporters) who clearly have an agenda they are just as passionate about as the milbloggers.
The other method is to simply warn soldiers who say the wrong thing. Does the USA's armed forces have a policy of allowing soldiers to say what they wish? Of course not, and if you think they only block tactically uncomfortable facts you are much more trusting than I.
The suggestion that the U.S. military is not doing this is so unlikely as to be ridiculous.
And as for military allowing soldiers to blog, why don't you read what soldier's are saying about the subject and post about it if you feel they are being censored.
And check out Fight6thmarine's posts about blogging.
No, that is not what it says. Perhaps you should read it again. Slowly, this time.
The question I asked was, "Do you believe that it would be allowed to be posted on a military blog, and do you believe it to be true?". I guess no answer is about the best we'll get from you. No matter...
Maybe you should read the link you post?
By you bringing up the linked article, I get the impression that you think every bad guy that plants a bomb must be an Iraqi soldier. I argue that is not the case and I would say that most milbloggers would agree.
So to answer your question for the SECOND time. Yes, this article may be factually correct for this one soldier's opinion. No, I don't think the article is true from the perspective that every soldier is disillusioned and no, I don't think all Iraqi soldiers are bad people (read Fightin6thmarine's blog).
Did you not even read the article you linked? That is funny...
This is your supposed answer."So to answer your question for the SECOND time. Yes, this article may be factually correct for this one soldier's opinion. No, I don't think the article is true from the perspective that every soldier is disillusioned and no, I don't think all Iraqi soldiers are bad people (read Fightin6thmarine's blog).
Still nothing about whether it would be allowed to be posted on a milblog. Don't bother replying. I'm rather tired of this. You never say anything anyway.
But the fact that an internet media article was posted about the subject, we as readers know that there are disillusioned soldiers. So that information is out there. So in my mind it is irrelevant whether soldiers post about it on their own or whether a reporter writes about it. Look at all of the media embeds in US military units -- if the soldiers were mad -- we would hear about it.
And specifically addressing the contents of your linked article -- I would not equate the small presence of terrorists in the Iraqi army as a problem. If those guys found half of those 60 insurgents with Iraqi army IDs I would worry... the fact they found 2 or 3, I am just not surprised -- there are always bad apples. So in the end, I don't think a good chunk of our troops feel that it is a complete lost cause. An uphill battle, yes.
But you can keep up that liberal elitist attitude that somehow those who have an alternative opinion are some how unintelligent. And this coming from a person that believes *all* milblogs are a Pentagon conspiracy, no less.
How can anybody take you seriously when you come across like that? How can anybody have a rationale argument with somebody who deals in absolutes? How are you even believable?
I am so sorry you won't write back.
Peace out Snowy...
Propaganda is the deliberate, systematic attempt to shape perceptions, manipulate cognitions, and direct behavior to achieve a response that furthers the desired intent of the propagandist (Quote in wikipedia)
I think this is a real blog, by real people. Yes, it tells the positive, it is Pro-Mil. Spining? Probably. Propaganda, in the sense of trying to get people to think the army is not such a bad bunch, absolutely. But that seems to be part of this groups mission ~ working with people (rather than just shooting them as so many think the army does) to modify their negative feelings about the US/Army/westerners and to work towards a different outcome. Frankly I think that is a lot of what our (British & Australian) military are out there doing (aside from trying not to get shot).
Frankly any opinionated blog is going to do some of that: Try get you to agree with them :)
They have an Official Website too, with some of the same photos as on the Vox-blog.