Media control during war

[Graham]

"Frankly, I looked on it as a problem to be managed. The information function was extraordinarily important. I did not have a lot of confidence that I could leave that to the press."

Dick Cheney, then Defence Secretary, talking about the first Gulf War.


http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,895124,00.html

A relatively short article by a Pulitzer winning reporter re control of the media during conflict, touching on the Falklands and Gulf Wars.

[Billy LTL]

Graham - Your link doesn't take me anywhere. But I've got something to say on the issue anyway.

In Vietnam it was a simple matter for a journalist to go almost anywhere he wanted - there were no restrictions. Find a Huey heading in your desired direction and hop on...It was freedom of speech at it's best.

But the U.S. government paid dearly for giving journalists almost total access. When citizens are faced with night after night of strong images showing what sons and brothers and fathers are going through, well, it's pretty hard for the powers that be to keep a grip on their hearts and minds for longer than a few years.

The U.S. military learned their lesson in that one. They will never again give the access to a conflict such as the press enjoyed in Vietnam. The constitution be damned.

Billy

[Graham]

Here's the link (http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,895124,00.html)