Insurgents Thrive on Antiwar Reporting
This very interesting article came out a couple of weeks ago, but lo and behold, it was not plastered all over the main stream media. Is anyone surprised by that? Of course the media had been holding fast in deep anticipation for that moment when they could report the number of soldiers killed in Iraq had hit 4000. For 2 weeks before the number rolled over, nearly every article talking about Iraq had to be prefaced with something like “The war in Iraq is nearing its 4000th death…” or some variation on that. The fifth year anniversary has also fueled a lot of antiwar/anti-military protests across the nation — some protests have even resulted in vandalism to recruiting centers.
For all of the hype and insanity that tends to be at the core of the radical protests, look at what they are accomplishing: they are possibly emboldening our enemy. In reality I think it is fair to say that the antiwar crowd could very well be prolonging the war by hindering progress through their indirect (heck in some cases even direct!) support of terrorists and insurgents. I really do not see the radicals in these groups as antiwar any longer. I see them as anarchists with severe personality disorders. If you don’t believe me, just visit Zombietime for photographic and video proof.
The data in the official paper is somewhat limited. I will admit that, but wouldn’t you think that a reasonable response would be to greatly back off of the antiwar hype until we know whether or not they inflict suffering on our troops? Well, a reasonable person maybe, but the likes of Berkeley Code Pink whackos would never back down, even with proof. That’s why it is vital that we, the pro-troop supporters, have got to make our voices heard. We must be loud, clear, and decided. We can not let our voices of support (for the troops AND for their mission) be silenced or drowned out.
Are Iraqi Insurgents Emboldened by Antiwar Reporting?
Economists say their study, with caveats, finds some linkages
By Alex Kingsbury
US News & World Report
Excerpt:
Are insurgents in Iraq emboldened by voices in the news media expressing dissent or calling for troop withdrawals from Iraq? The short answer, according to a pair of Harvard economists, is yes.
In a paper published by the National Bureau of Economic Research, the authors are quick to point out numerous caveats to their findings, based on data from mid-2003 through late 2007.
Yet, their results show that insurgent groups are not devoid of reason and unresponsive to outside pressures and stimuli. “It shows that the various insurgent groups do respond to incentives and shows that a successful counter insurgency strategy should take that reality into account,” says one of the paper’s coauthors, Jonathan Monten, a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs.
The paper “Is There an ‘Emboldenment’ Effect in Iraq? Evidence From the Insurgency in Iraq” concludes the following:
* In the short term, there is a small but measurable cost to open public debate in the form of higher attacks against Iraqi and American targets.
* In periods immediately after a spike in “antiresolve” statements in the American media, the level of insurgent attacks increases between 7 and 10 percent.
* Insurgent organizations are strategic actors, meaning that whatever their motivations, religious or ideological, they will respond to incentives and disincentives.
<SNIP>
*sigh* I think this is more of “living life upside down”
One thing that irks me about the antiwar protesters, is that they don’t do any research about what they are protesting. They believe everything put out by the mainstream media, which is only the negative and bad things that are happening in Iraq.
My husbands unit delivered rice to a town that hadn’t seen rations in 6 months, but yet it never made the news. So many good things are happening, but the media will never write about it.
Thanks for this study. One more proof of what anti-war efforts by the MSM and peaceniks accomplish for the enemy.
I’m a Vietnam vet and we know from General Giap’s book that the North Vietnamese were emboldened by and, in the end, counted on the peacenik demonstrations and left leaning MSM to help them accomplish their goals.
The other gripe I have about these anti-war demonstrators is that they infringe on other people’s civil rights. They block traffic, they block store openings, and in the case of Code Pink in Berkeley they infringe on a person’s right to go in and talk to the recruiters. Peaceful assembly is okay, but when the demonstration interferes with other’s civil rights the police should send them on their way or arrest them for illegal demonstrations. Infringing on other people’s civil rights? = Unlawful assembly. I say, “Unlawful assembly……………book ‘em Dano.”
Bon, I think you are 100% correct! Upside down living, indeed!
Aime, I have come to the conclusion that the radical protesters don’t do research because they really don’t care about the truth. They have painted their own reality, and it is fueled by ignorance — truth would only ruin it for them. They are seriously delusional! I posted a video on this site with pictures of our troops donating over 600 pounds of supplies to a local school — a similar effort to your husband’s unit. I know what you mean about how the media really overlooks the efforts our troops are making at trying to take good care of the innocent people around them. Of all of the armed forces on this planet, ours not only has some of the most incredible warriors, but those warriors are also some of the most compassionate human beings.
Jimmy J, Thank you for your response, and most of all for your service! I truly appreciate our Vets.
I think you hit the nail on the head as to my number one complaint about these protesters. They do hinder and impede the right to free speech by others. They do not believe in free speech — they believe in their free speech. There was a news spoof (sort of … ) done by the daily show, and a Marine Officer went to Berkeley as a reporter and talked with some of the Code Pink whackos. One woman openly admit that she does not care about the Marines’ rights to free speech. At least she was honest.
Most of these types of people live in perpetual cognitive dissonance. They praise communism (and even practice it to a degree by silencing their opposition), but what they don’t realize or refuse to acknowledge, is that if they were in a communist country they would have all been run over by tanks or gunned down by the government for opposing government policy out loud! It’s the quintessential form of a paradoxical world view.
I think my instinctive response to the headline USNWR headline was….hmmm, you think? The surprise factor for me is the disingenuous response of the media….a wide eyed astonishment when they ‘realize’ that what and how they report on the war has an impact on our enemy.
Jimmy J - your comment about anti-war demonstrators is so true- as is yours, Claire…on cognitive dissonance..
Great article KneeDeep and excellent comments. These folks are delusional and have already a mindset. How these people get to this mindset is certainly not based on evidence or logic which concludes that they may be ill in some way or another. I like the recent article about conservatives donating more money and time etc.. than liberals. I am honestly in the belief that liberalism is a mental illness!!! Our guys are The Next Greatest Generation!! Bulldog Out!!!