The Media as an Asymmetrical Weapon

Very interesting study by Marvin Kalb on media and the way they are manipulated by parties during conflict. His case study is The Israeli-Hezbollah War '06. Good compare and contrast between Israel and Hezbollah as well as how the media distortions are recieved.

Lot's of good matierial in here, enjoy: The Israeli-Hezbollah War of 2006: The Media as a Weapon in Asymmetrical Conflict or if you want to go straight to the pdf

from Marvin Kalb
Based on content analysis of global media and interviews with many diplomats and journalists, this paper describes the trajectory of the media from objective observer to fiery advocate, becoming in fact a weapon of modern warfare. The paper also shows how an open society, Israel, is victimized by its own openness and how a closed sect, Hezbollah, can retain almost total control of the daily message of journalism and propaganda.

This is a very intresting article. It hints at the concept which was thought up and refined as a dialectic. A contrast..a manipulation. This was or is as I recall how the communists work. Neutralizing ones opponents with thier own systems. Neutralizing them to ineffectiveness.

Could the Arabs have learned this system or are they under the control of someone knowlegable in this dialectic. By this I mean of course the media's role in contributing to the results desired ..the new synthesis.

Been thinking along these lines for some years now.

Thanks,
Orangetom