You can read my latest column on war, pictures and propaganda at Understand Media. Link follows.
Understand Media -> Articles -> War Pictures by Antonio Lopez:
Regardless of your opinions about the reasons for going to war in Iraq, the Bush Administration has relied heavily on media management and imagery to justify and promote its cause. Whether it is Secretary of Sate Colin Powell using a multimedia presentation at the United Nations Security Council to cajole a resolution to support military action before the war, or the now infamous publicity stunt orchestrated by the White House in which President Bush landed on the aircraft carrier donning a flight suit, framed by a large banner, “Mission Accomplished.”
Add to that the use of imbedded reporters and the vigorous attempt by the Pentagon to prevent photos of dead soldiers and flag draped coffins from appearing in the media furthers the resolve that images of the war would be tightly managed by the government. It’s no wonder than that historians of the future might regard the unraveling of domestic support of the war as coming from images in the media.
As they say, live by the sword, die by the sword.
