As many may or may not be aware, I was strongly opposed to this war prior to military intervention one week ago. But now that the United States and its leaders have engaged in combat and set forth an ultimatum for Saddam Hussien to be defeated and leave power, we in this country must all must be united towards that goal.
The question now is -- how can we win this war quickly and with minimal casualities?
The clear answer is......
GO FOR THE IRAQI TV STATION!
It's that simple. All the other symbols of power in Iraq are secondary to controlling the media of the country. Forget about storming into Baghdad and occupying palaces or the national parliament. Forget about spending countless lives in bloody street battles that could very well turn inoto another Stalingrad 1942 (recall which side won that battle, despite being VASTLY technologically inferior to the invader). The battle is won when you take over the national television station.
An elite military unit backed by strong air cover could probably take the state-run Iraqi television station in only a few days. Once a base icamp s set up at the TV station, all supplies and support units should be fueled through that target. It's that vital. I predict taking the rest of the city of Baghdad would not be necessary.
Why?
Once an army controls the television station (especially a state-run media outlet as in Iraq whihc is the SOLE source of news), you essentially have control over the public opinion of the entire nation. Just about everyone in Iraq is watching this war on television. Imagine the implications if -- from the moment that television station is seized, you START RUNNING FOTTAGE OF SADDAM'S ATROCITIES OF HIS OWN PEOPLE. Most people in Iraq know very well that these things occur. However, it will be another thing entirely to see them braodcast on television. Hopefully, the $40 billion we blow on the CIA budget every year might enable us to come up with a couple of hours of video footage of Saddam's crimes against humanity. You add a plea to the Iraqi people that this war is not about defeating Iraq, but about LIBERATING it. Fly in the provisional government from the exiled Iraqi Congress to go on TV and the entire house of cards comes crumbling down. Propaganda is an efective weapon in war and the United States has the means to completely sway the majority of people to resist fighting.
Capturing the TV station would have a profoundly demoralizing effect on the enemy. Seeing graphic images constantly bombarding the airwaves about the crimes of this regime would certainly create conflicts within the enemy camp and would neautralize any growing support to resist. Seeing the alternative government of Iraqis on TV for the first time would also demonstrate that there is about to be a power shift. It's critical for a post-war Iraq for the new leaders of the country to particpate in the liberating process. Read that last sentence again -- it's important: It's critical for a post-war Iraq for the new leaders of the country to particpate in the liberating process. Right now, I do not see that happening.
There is historical precedent for this pattern and I would not have been aware of it were it not for being stationed in Romania in December 1989. Dictator Nicolae Ceausescu was finished the moment the revolutionaries stormed the television station in north Bucharest. When army units saw "the people" waving flags and controlling the media on air, that's when they laid down their weapons. Not when the institutions of the communist party and the military were attacked. IT WAS SEIZING HE TELEVISION STATION that precipitated the downfall of one of the harshest regimes of the 20th Century, an act which no doubt saved thousands, perhaps tens of thousands of lives.
I pray that US Military leaders have enough insight to NOT get involved in a bloody street battle with the enemy that could prove disastrous. The clear and quick answer is obvious -- SEIZE THAT FVCKING TELEVISION STATION. NOW!
More in depth analysis provided upon request.
-- Nolan Dalla
The question now is -- how can we win this war quickly and with minimal casualities?
The clear answer is......
GO FOR THE IRAQI TV STATION!
It's that simple. All the other symbols of power in Iraq are secondary to controlling the media of the country. Forget about storming into Baghdad and occupying palaces or the national parliament. Forget about spending countless lives in bloody street battles that could very well turn inoto another Stalingrad 1942 (recall which side won that battle, despite being VASTLY technologically inferior to the invader). The battle is won when you take over the national television station.
An elite military unit backed by strong air cover could probably take the state-run Iraqi television station in only a few days. Once a base icamp s set up at the TV station, all supplies and support units should be fueled through that target. It's that vital. I predict taking the rest of the city of Baghdad would not be necessary.
Why?
Once an army controls the television station (especially a state-run media outlet as in Iraq whihc is the SOLE source of news), you essentially have control over the public opinion of the entire nation. Just about everyone in Iraq is watching this war on television. Imagine the implications if -- from the moment that television station is seized, you START RUNNING FOTTAGE OF SADDAM'S ATROCITIES OF HIS OWN PEOPLE. Most people in Iraq know very well that these things occur. However, it will be another thing entirely to see them braodcast on television. Hopefully, the $40 billion we blow on the CIA budget every year might enable us to come up with a couple of hours of video footage of Saddam's crimes against humanity. You add a plea to the Iraqi people that this war is not about defeating Iraq, but about LIBERATING it. Fly in the provisional government from the exiled Iraqi Congress to go on TV and the entire house of cards comes crumbling down. Propaganda is an efective weapon in war and the United States has the means to completely sway the majority of people to resist fighting.
Capturing the TV station would have a profoundly demoralizing effect on the enemy. Seeing graphic images constantly bombarding the airwaves about the crimes of this regime would certainly create conflicts within the enemy camp and would neautralize any growing support to resist. Seeing the alternative government of Iraqis on TV for the first time would also demonstrate that there is about to be a power shift. It's critical for a post-war Iraq for the new leaders of the country to particpate in the liberating process. Read that last sentence again -- it's important: It's critical for a post-war Iraq for the new leaders of the country to particpate in the liberating process. Right now, I do not see that happening.
There is historical precedent for this pattern and I would not have been aware of it were it not for being stationed in Romania in December 1989. Dictator Nicolae Ceausescu was finished the moment the revolutionaries stormed the television station in north Bucharest. When army units saw "the people" waving flags and controlling the media on air, that's when they laid down their weapons. Not when the institutions of the communist party and the military were attacked. IT WAS SEIZING HE TELEVISION STATION that precipitated the downfall of one of the harshest regimes of the 20th Century, an act which no doubt saved thousands, perhaps tens of thousands of lives.
I pray that US Military leaders have enough insight to NOT get involved in a bloody street battle with the enemy that could prove disastrous. The clear and quick answer is obvious -- SEIZE THAT FVCKING TELEVISION STATION. NOW!
More in depth analysis provided upon request.
-- Nolan Dalla
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