News and Comment: Is Media Coverage of Iraq War ‘Fair and Balanced’?     7/9/2004
By Sarah Markwood

A U.S. Marine says media reports send a discouraging message to the troops.

What message is actually traveling overseas to our faithful servicemen and women? A Marine’s reaction when I thanked him for his service provides a distressing answer.

On a two-week leave from his duty in Iraq, a U.S. Marine was traveling home on Washington, D.C.’s Metro. I thanked him for his service. He reacted with shock at the commendation of a fellow American.

This man has faithfully served in Iraq amid the reports he receives from home. While he is fighting on their behalf, he said that he hears reports only of protests and opposition by the American people. If there was ever any doubt, this man’s surprise to a gesture of support suggests that there is media bias against the war—and it affects the troops.

He said that soldiers are wondering why the steady progress in Iraq receives little, if any, attention. Instead, media focus on the trials and not the successes.

Last fall, Rep. Jim Marshall (D-Georgia) stated that the media’s “falsely bleak picture weakens our national resolve.” He further said, “I’m afraid [this harm] is killing our troops.”

Indeed, the troops know what “picture” the media presents to the American public. After a six-hour firefight in May, soldiers of the 37th Armored Regiment’s 2nd Battalion fought to secure a burning Humvee. They wanted to keep reporters from filming Iraqi militiamen dancing victoriously on the vehicle. Capt. Ty Wilson explained in The Washington Times, “Even [with] all the guys they lost that day, that still would have given them victory.”

The media filters information to fit its “picture” of the Iraq war. As Iyad Allawai made his first appearance as Iraq’s new prime minister last week, he deliberately switched to the English language to state, “I would like to thank the coalition, led by the United States, for the sacrifices they have provided in the process of the liberation of Iraq.” However, leading newspapers such as The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and the Los Angeles Times did not report this statement. Instead, much of the media focuses on the mistreatment in the Abu Ghraib prison and the deaths that occur.

As the message of America’s gratitude is not reaching the troops through the media, we must actively convey it ourselves. There are numerous ways to support our troops. Hearing of prayers for their safety touches them tremendously. Along with prayer, letters to the editors of local newspapers can provide a positive perspective on the Iraq mission.

Also, since summer began, schools are sending fewer support packages. Especially during these hot months, our troops need continued encouragement. The following Web sites offer suggestions for involvement:

• Military exchange gift cards
• Books and DVDs
• Equipment for working dogs
• Pen-pal support, school supply and Christmas card campaigns.

Another organization, Have a Heart/Adopt a Soldier, began through Gladys Walker’s efforts to send care packages to soldiers. This organization now provides goods and encouragement to the troops. "What our troops need the most is to know that the American people haven't forgotten about them and support them," Walker said.

Operation Shield of Strength is a project of The Federalist, a principled, conservative, electronic publication. Through this project, Americans provide funds to purchase dog-tags bearing the verse Joshua 1:9. These dog-tags are then sent to the troops and provide encouragement to soldiers as they see others wearing the dog-tags. All proceeds go to the project, and The Federalist is not compensated in any way.

Operation Give provides another unique opportunity for Americans to send gifts to the soldiers, who give them to Iraqi children. “Making a kid smile boosts the morale of the giver…and this program is therapy for our soldiers who are missing their own kids,” says Concerned Women for America’s (CWA’s) Martha Kleder, an Air Force veteran.

Let’s show our soldiers that we support and appreciate them! While we personally thank a Marine we see in public, we must also thank those whose paths we will never cross for their countless sacrifices. We surely can take the time and effort to express our gratitude.

Sarah Markwood is a CWA intern through the Blackstone Fellowship and a law student at Penn State University.

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