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“Demonstrate to
the world that
there is ‘No
Better Friend,
No Worse Enemy’
than a U.S.
Marine.”
These words by
General James
Mattis, issued
to his Marines
massed on the
Iraq-Kuwait
border prior to
the invasion of
2003, uniquely
capture the
creed embraced
by today’s U.S.
fighting force.
Yet today on the
world stage,
particularly in
Muslim nations,
our military is
too often viewed
only as the
enemy, a
disturbing fact
not lost on
those who now
wear the
uniform. Make no
mistake -- death
and violence are
products of any
war. But lost
within today’s
highly partisan
environment are
such deeply held
goals as freedom
and democracy.
While
policymakers and
pundits attempt
to score
political points
highlighting the
former, today’s
military is
busily dedicated
to securing the
latter.
Those who serve
in the U.S.
military do so
for a number of
reasons.
Foremost among
them is that
individuals both
past and present
have had a
desire to serve
their nation and
the democratic
principals for
which it stands.
And despite the
media’s almost
exclusive focus
on death and
despair, those
of us who have
served know full
well that a good
day on the
battlefield is
one in which
there are no
casualties.
Further, we see
much of the
human dignity
that is
recovered once
tyranny is
vanquished in
the name of
freedom – when
citizens can
vote for the
first time,
schools open for
all children and
businesses begin
to thrive.
Yet, these are
not the
convictions or
images conveyed
by our own
policymakers or
the media to the
world. As a
result, an
information void
has been left
from which the
role of the U.S.
military is too
often projected
as that of the
aggressor versus
that of the
liberator.
Global opinion
of the U.S.
remains
exceedingly
poor,
particularly
among Muslims.
With a worldwide
Muslim
population that
is very young
and growing
rapidly, it is
imperative that
our nation
articulate a
clear vision
that highlights
our true intent
of bringing
liberty and
restoring
sovereignty for
these citizens,
while embracing
their sincere
cultural and
religious
beliefs.
Otherwise, much
of this huge
demographic will
remain isolated
and vulnerable
to fanatical
rule, void of
the civil
liberties or
economic
infrastructures
that provide new
opportunities.
While progress
and political
change do not
occur in a
vacuum, hatred
often does.
Aiding this
dilemma is a
media saturated
world where
car-bombs and
body counts
trump broader
evidence of
democratic
reform and
burgeoning
political
stability.
How can we more
accurately
portray the true
role and
character of the
U.S. military to
the world? First
and foremost,
the media can
and should
reassert their
efforts to cover
the Iraq War and
other
deployments from
the perspective
of those engaged
– our Soldiers,
Sailors, Airmen
and Marines.
While countless
journalists were
embedded with
U.S. military
units during the
initial invasion
of Iraq, today
such deployments
are few and far
between. In
fact, the
widely-praised
embed program is
almost
non-existent –
from 692
journalists
embedded with
coalition units
during the
invasion of Iraq
compared to only
32 today,
according to the
U.S. Department
of Defense. What
is now portrayed
as
“on-the-ground”
reports courtesy
of the nightly
news or printed
in our daily
papers is more
often what we
veterans call
“balcony
reporting.”
The purpose
behind the embed
program
established
prior to the
2003 invasion
was for
journalists to
live, eat, sleep
and patrol with
a company or
platoon-size
unit for an
extended period
of time. In the
process,
reporters would
get to know the
soldiers
personally and
learn to
evaluate the
battlefield from
their
perspective –
the good, the
bad and the
ugly. Such a
unique vantage
point gave
journalists a
sincere
understanding of
the
decisionmaking
process in full
view of the
combat
implications as
they occur in
real-time.
Further, it gave
them insights
into the areas
of operations
and direct
contact with the
citizens of the
regions.
Finally, it gave
them an
appreciation for
the important
role today’s
military plays
in promoting our
country
overseas. The
U.S. Military is
the public face
of America in
many parts of
the world, and
how we interact
with the people
we meet has a
real impact on
how America is
viewed. To that
end, having a
journalist on
hand to cover
these everyday
interactions –
whether it is a
corporal playing
soccer with a
child on a dirt
road in Kabul or
a colonel
sitting down
with the mayor
in Tal Afar –
would go a long
way to conveying
the true nature
America’s
mission: that of
a liberator, not
a conqueror.
It is true that
some dedicated
journalists
still feel it
imperative to
journey out with
those deployed
in combat zones
to see what they
see, hear what
they hear, and
live through
what they must
live through.
Some have paid
the same price
through death
and wounds that
so many of our
colleagues in
combat also have
paid. NBC’s
David Bloom,
Atlantic
Monthly’s
Michael Kelly
and ABC’s Bob
Woodruff come
most readily to
mind. Such
committed
professionals,
both past and
present, should
be commended and
honored.
With increasing
regularity,
however, some in
the media now
stationed with
U.S. troops
position
themselves in
secure bases
established
outside of hot
zones and
attempt to
interview troops
not in the
field, but only
as they return
from missions.
Countless grunts
have spoken
openly about
this “vulture
syndrome” as
they describe
it, noting how
reporters now
largely go from
one returning
patrol to
another hoping
to find a unit
that had
recently been
engaged in
combat. If there
was violence,
there is
interest.
Anything
positive or
anything outside
of deaths,
however, is
often of little
use and thus not
reported.
Otherwise, hosts
of policymakers
and the media
appear more
generally intent
on a hindsight
review of past
military actions
and decisions as
opposed to
covering more
current and
pressing events.
It is almost as
if they have
given up on the
mission in Iraq,
and are now
merely penning
its obituary.
There seems to
be an almost
wholesale
dismissal by
many
policymakers and
the media of
anything
positive about
U.S. military
missions, the
situation on the
ground or our
global security
strategy.
The resulting
domestic
political
climate has
become so toxic
that partisans
seemingly
identify the
enemy as those
who sit on the
other side of
the aisle. This
insular attitude
is not only
shameful, but
reckless,
jeopardizing the
long-term
security of our
nation and
undercutting our
leadership in
the world.
Sadly, the
resulting
perceptions held
by those outside
our borders are
often placed
upon the
shoulders of our
men and women in
the military.
Not until our
own political
leaders engage
in debates over
U.S. military
strategy in a
responsible,
non-partisan
manner, and the
media provides a
broader
perspective of
the Global War
on Terror, will
the rest of the
world more fully
understand and
appreciate the
role today’s men
and women in
uniform play in
defending
America and
promoting
freedom and
democracy around
the globe.
RF
Wade Zirkle is
founder of Vets
for Freedom (www.vetsforfreedom.org).
He served two
deployments as a
U.S. Marine in
Iraq before
being wounded in
action. He plans
to return to
Iraq this summer
to report from
the frontlines. |
