|
The "hearts and minds" I am most concerned with are those in the United States. A persistent theme in civil-military relations is Americans' ambivalence towards the armed services. While public confidence in the armed forces is much greater than it was four decades ago, I dread that events such as the one depicted in the video will be used to swing the pendulum in the other direction.
As an added example, I would point to the ongoing coverage of Itzcoatl Ocampo. The local news media lead their stories about the man with the facts that [A] he was a Marine who [B] served in Iraq without establishing the connection between those two facts and the crimes for which he has been charged. Consequently, the implied argument is that A and B contributed to C because A and B proceeded C. This "logic" is already fueling comments in the blogosphere that demonize all members of the armed services, that question the professionalism of the armed forces, and that express skepticism about the utility of war as an instrument of national policy.
My $0.02.
|