War on candid camera

Welcome to war as reality television. As coalition forces roll into Basra and Umm Qasr on the road to Baghdad, as their B-52s target Iraqi installations in Mosul and Kirkuk, a key battle is being fought on the airwaves. As raw footage of precision bombing and despatches of embedded journalists are transmitted to TV screens real-time 8212; to be tracked in war rooms, 8220;enemy8221; bunkers and countless streets 8212; fact and fabrication appear to be the most potent weapons. The First Gulf War may have been the first television war, but in the Second Gulf War the media itself has become a key coordinate in military planning. It goes beyond Saddam Hussein8217;s regular appearances on state television, in an attempt to prove he is alive and well up to the challenge ahead. It goes beyond the suddenly rampant clarifications from the few western journalists left in Baghdad and embedded reporters that their information is keenly monitored. And it certainly goes beyond the growing suspicion among mediapersons that they were encouraged to broadcast Pentagon8217;s plan for a 8220;shock and awe8221; beginning to the war only to hoodwink Saddam8217;s think-tank. Incidentally, it recalls America8217;s General Norman Schwarzkopf profuse thanks to the media for playing its dutiful role in the 1991 victory.

It has often been said that the information age is a great leveller 8212; everyone has equal access to information, and thus to an opinion. There is an apocryphal story about a harassed aide asking his general what he should tell the journalists. 8220;We8217;ll tell them nothing until it8217;s over and then we8217;ll tell them who won,8221; said the good general. Intense media scrutiny of the theatre of war has completely transformed the criteria for adjudging the winner. The generals and their political bosses may be tempted to manoeuvre information, but those still cameras transmitting live pictures will keep them honest.