“Respect for the Enemy’s Propaganda”   May 12, 2006

Mortimer B. Zuckerman is correct, in his column that carries the subheadline in the Daily News, “We need realism, resolve and respect for the enemy’s propaganda,” in stating that “we are clearly in a war of media images.” He goes on, “Our assault on Fallujah, in April of 2004, stopped prematurely because incendiary coverage on the al Jazeera TV network gave the false impression that U.S. marines were deliberately targeting mosques and civilians. Planning and executing an aggressive media plan must be part of our strategy, so we can define the issues before perceptions are shaped by our enemies.”

So the point, Mr. Zuckerman, is help AIM stop Al-Jazeera and Al-Jazeera International. That has to be part of our new aggressive media plan. This may be more important than anything we do on the military battlefield.