I agree wholeheartedly, but I cannot imagine the FNYT or the WP pushing back against war, given their track record and even further in light of their recent behavior. For them, war creates interesting visuals, generates web traffic and ratings. And did any of the Iraq War cheerleaders in the press lose their jobs? I can’t recall any. The costs of war are not borne by these media corporations. Hopeful some writers will push back but I am pessimistic. I pray that I’m wrong.
It's not just the firmly pro-Israel stance of the MSM. It's the entire pro-Netanyahu position of *both* parties in Congress, courtesy of AIPAC and its billions in annual political spending. All without having to register as an agent of a foreign government.
A tiny number of rich Jewish Republicans have for decades perpetuated a system of unconditional support for the worst humanitarian impulses of the Israeli Far Right, that is now gleefully starving to death 2.2 million Gazans. The unfolding genocide in Gaza, ethnic cleansing in the W Bank, extensive bombing campaigns in Lebanon and Syria, and now this: yet another Israeli-initiated regional war that the US is expected to unquestioningly supply, fund and materially assist on the taxpayer dime.
Meanwhile, moderate Jewish voices like J-Street are drowned out, because the oligarchic elites like the Adelsons that bankroll AIPAC insist on being Smotrich and Netanyahu fanboys. Moderate Jews who love Israel and want it to thrive, but who don't support its every vicious impulse are meanwhile labeled "self-hating Jews," and expected to just suck up and endure the waves of antisemitism engendered by each new Israeli excess.
Our wealthy media stars LOVE a war. They get to walk around in a helmet for a couple of days and tell the stories for the rest of their lives.
Also, don’t forget or forgive that when Trump announced his tariffs, suddenly it was OK to explain what tariffs are, and to be factual about how they work, who pays and who gets hurt. They can do this when they want to.
Awesome fantasy: "make the Washington press corps behave like real journalists," but it's highly unlikely to happen. All the real journalists are on Substack. The "Washington press corps" is a group of imposters and wannabes who simply repeat the bullshit handed out by the various nincompoops in the current administration. Yes, war is hell, but that has never impacted the decision to pursue war. McNamara's fantasy resulted in 50,000 of my generation perishing in the jungles of Vietnam.
Absolutely correct. It is encouraging to see at least some coverage noting that Congress has abdicated its responsibility in many ways. War is the most significant.
I lived through Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War, the Bush Invasion, and a long list of “minor” conflicts the US was part of. As others are noting here, war is unfortunately like Christmas candy to the media.
But I still think Dan is right to argue for at least some of them to heed the lessons of history, no matter how cynical we become. You never can tell when something can change.
Which will not happen for the simple reason that ever since the Crimean War, the war correspondent has been -- in the words of Philip Knightley, "hero, propagandist, and mythmaker." He describes their sordid history in the brilliant book "The First Casualty," which should be mandatory reading for young journalists.
The American and British reporters who covered the Civil War were jokes at the plate. Confederate newspapers reported victories by starting their stories with "Glory to God in the highest." The Times of London openly favored the Confederacy.
It's been that way for centuries. Even in World War II, when British and American reporters did not describe the failures of British Civil Defense in providing shelters in London's East End during the Blitz, and covered up George Patton's slapping not one but two GIs.
The ghastly Dieppe raid was reported accurately -- by German Kriegsberichter. They were honest: the 2nd Canadian Division was chopped up on the shingle. British, Canadian, and American newspapers called it a victory.
More recently, Pete Williams told us that his helicopter was fired on when he flew over Iraq. No, he admitted later, it wasn't.
And I will never forgive Katie Couric, before that same war, telling us, gushing like the cheerleader she was, "I think Navy SEALS ROCK!!!" I still want to ask her what she thinks of the Navy SEALs who tortured, killed, and urinated on a PoW in Afghanistan -- and sent the video home to their buddies and families. The Bloated Yam pardoned them.....
To the media, war is good ink. They will accept the most moronic censorship, tell the folks at home that our atrocities are necessary and heroic, theirs are pointless and barbaric; our leaders are beleagured but ingenious patriots, while theirs are mad dogs, and turn in the press releases from the command under their own names, exaggerate their expense reports, and spend the night with the local hookers or their mistresses.
I agree wholeheartedly, but I cannot imagine the FNYT or the WP pushing back against war, given their track record and even further in light of their recent behavior. For them, war creates interesting visuals, generates web traffic and ratings. And did any of the Iraq War cheerleaders in the press lose their jobs? I can’t recall any. The costs of war are not borne by these media corporations. Hopeful some writers will push back but I am pessimistic. I pray that I’m wrong.
It's not just the firmly pro-Israel stance of the MSM. It's the entire pro-Netanyahu position of *both* parties in Congress, courtesy of AIPAC and its billions in annual political spending. All without having to register as an agent of a foreign government.
A tiny number of rich Jewish Republicans have for decades perpetuated a system of unconditional support for the worst humanitarian impulses of the Israeli Far Right, that is now gleefully starving to death 2.2 million Gazans. The unfolding genocide in Gaza, ethnic cleansing in the W Bank, extensive bombing campaigns in Lebanon and Syria, and now this: yet another Israeli-initiated regional war that the US is expected to unquestioningly supply, fund and materially assist on the taxpayer dime.
Meanwhile, moderate Jewish voices like J-Street are drowned out, because the oligarchic elites like the Adelsons that bankroll AIPAC insist on being Smotrich and Netanyahu fanboys. Moderate Jews who love Israel and want it to thrive, but who don't support its every vicious impulse are meanwhile labeled "self-hating Jews," and expected to just suck up and endure the waves of antisemitism engendered by each new Israeli excess.
J-Street is our only hope in this ever-deepening shitshow: https://jstreet.org/about-us/about-jstreetpac/
And war sells.
Our wealthy media stars LOVE a war. They get to walk around in a helmet for a couple of days and tell the stories for the rest of their lives.
Also, don’t forget or forgive that when Trump announced his tariffs, suddenly it was OK to explain what tariffs are, and to be factual about how they work, who pays and who gets hurt. They can do this when they want to.
Awesome fantasy: "make the Washington press corps behave like real journalists," but it's highly unlikely to happen. All the real journalists are on Substack. The "Washington press corps" is a group of imposters and wannabes who simply repeat the bullshit handed out by the various nincompoops in the current administration. Yes, war is hell, but that has never impacted the decision to pursue war. McNamara's fantasy resulted in 50,000 of my generation perishing in the jungles of Vietnam.
Absolutely correct. It is encouraging to see at least some coverage noting that Congress has abdicated its responsibility in many ways. War is the most significant.
I lived through Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War, the Bush Invasion, and a long list of “minor” conflicts the US was part of. As others are noting here, war is unfortunately like Christmas candy to the media.
But I still think Dan is right to argue for at least some of them to heed the lessons of history, no matter how cynical we become. You never can tell when something can change.
Which will not happen for the simple reason that ever since the Crimean War, the war correspondent has been -- in the words of Philip Knightley, "hero, propagandist, and mythmaker." He describes their sordid history in the brilliant book "The First Casualty," which should be mandatory reading for young journalists.
The American and British reporters who covered the Civil War were jokes at the plate. Confederate newspapers reported victories by starting their stories with "Glory to God in the highest." The Times of London openly favored the Confederacy.
It's been that way for centuries. Even in World War II, when British and American reporters did not describe the failures of British Civil Defense in providing shelters in London's East End during the Blitz, and covered up George Patton's slapping not one but two GIs.
The ghastly Dieppe raid was reported accurately -- by German Kriegsberichter. They were honest: the 2nd Canadian Division was chopped up on the shingle. British, Canadian, and American newspapers called it a victory.
More recently, Pete Williams told us that his helicopter was fired on when he flew over Iraq. No, he admitted later, it wasn't.
And I will never forgive Katie Couric, before that same war, telling us, gushing like the cheerleader she was, "I think Navy SEALS ROCK!!!" I still want to ask her what she thinks of the Navy SEALs who tortured, killed, and urinated on a PoW in Afghanistan -- and sent the video home to their buddies and families. The Bloated Yam pardoned them.....
To the media, war is good ink. They will accept the most moronic censorship, tell the folks at home that our atrocities are necessary and heroic, theirs are pointless and barbaric; our leaders are beleagured but ingenious patriots, while theirs are mad dogs, and turn in the press releases from the command under their own names, exaggerate their expense reports, and spend the night with the local hookers or their mistresses.
Nick Walsh's video shows damage to a hospital that, if verified to be the result of Israeli munitions, is likely a war crime.
The attack on Iranian state TV is also a war crime, and has been called out by Freedom of the Press Foundation (https://bsky.app/profile/freedom.press/post/3lrqvgzowyc2u)
One does not wage a just war by unjust means.
Thank you for your clear explanations I only hope all of our media sources will follow your advice
Who the hell didn't see this coming, other than the goddamn news media?