We've often taken the military to task for its handling of information operations in the GWOT. On many occasions, it seems that the terrorists are far more nimble and adept at getting information into the MSM or online, while the Pentagon moves at a glacial pace, relying on press briefings and releases that are often ignored.
Happily, that trend is beginning to turn. Over at the Danger Room, Noah Shachtman notes that some elements within the public affairs corps are taking a more proactive--and cutting edge--approach in highlighting the military's side of the story. U.S. Central Command seems to be taking the lead in this effort, providing regular updates and material for interested bloggers. And, just this week, I learned that U.S. Joint Forces Command (JFCOM) will mount a similar effort in the near future. Some of the military's professional schools (such as the USAF's Air Command and Staff College) are now offering classes and seminars about the blogosphere as an information tool, in an effort to educate future commanders.
While those developments are certainly encouraging, not everyone in the military is enamored with bloggers. Case in point? U.S. Army Major General Vincent Brooks, best remembered as CENTCOM's "official" spokesman during the invasion of Iraq four years ago. General Brooks is now back in Baghdad, this time as deputy commander of the coalition's Multi-National Division. For whatever reason, Brooks seem to have it in for Michael Yon, and is apparently trying to run him out of the country.
Given Yon's superb reporting from Iraq and Afghanistan--and the huge audience it attracts--General Brooks' effort is puzzling to say the least. Brooks is a sharp guy who should no better. Before returning to the Middle East, he served as the Army's chief public affairs officer, and was referred to as the "face" of that service. It is worth noting that CENTCOM's blog outreach effort began after General Brooks left that command and became the Army's Chief PAO. For that, I suppose, the blogosphere should be thankful, although it will be interesting to see how Brooks' efforts play out. The CENTCOM outreach effort clearly has the blessing of senior comanders. At some point (hopefully), wiser heads will tell General Brooks to shut up and color. If his approach carries the day, then his former command and the multi-national division will be taking a giant step back in getting their story to the American people.
IMO, Gen Brooks shouldn't judge Yon on the basis on that incident, which happened more than two years ago. Read his dispatch on the climactic battle in the fight for Mosul; he picked up a weapon only because the soliders he was with (the commander and the CSM) had become separated (momentarily) from the rest of the unit; they were attacked, wounded, and in Yon's estimation, in serious danger. After the engagement, Yon was thoroughly chewed out by a senior officer, with the understanding that similar behavior along those lines would result in him being permanently banned from Iraq.
ReplyDeleteInterestingly, there are other examples of correspondents picking up weapons. At the Ia Drang Valley engagement in 1965, a young reporter named Joe Galloway joined in the fight when it appeared that his position would be overrun. He was later awarded the Bronze Star for helping save wounded soldiers. Galloway spent years covering the fighting in Vietnam; apparently, that sort of conduct 40 years ago wasn't a problem.
I believe the Brooks-Yon feud runs deeper than the Mosul incident. And, I find it rather odd that a couple of prominent milbloggers--Yon and Mike Fumento--have recently run into trouble with the PAOs and the Army. Coincidence? We'll soon see. But whatever his rationale, I think the general is wrong. We're wasting embeds on guys like Bryan Preston of AFP (who have a clear anti-military agenda), while milbloggers are having a tougher time getting in
I agree with crosspatch, that it's probably based on the firefight incident. But Spook, you're correct that Gen Brooks should not judge Yon on that incident.
ReplyDeleteWith regard to IO, it seems the U.S. military has been, and continues to be, slow in recognizing its potential. It's clear that the "propaganda war" is a large component in the war on terror. But IO has been important in conflicts all throughout history, with some devastating consequences, so it's surprising to me how this has been neglected. One particularly interesting example is the "information war" between King Richard I (the Lionheart) and the French king, Philip II, in the late twelfth century, where the weaker French king shrewdly used propaganda and disinformation to elicit political victories which compensated for his inabiity to defeat Richard on the battlefield. There's some interesting comparisons and implications for the war on terror...
Yea, the shoot up brought Yon the wrong kind of attention. But Yon has a couple of traits that don't make him higher's poster boy. He respects authority, but can't stand ignorance or ineptitude in anyone, no matter what their rank or position. Some of that bleeds through in his dealings with the military.
ReplyDeleteI witnessed those traits back before he was a somebody, and he has not mellowed.
Papa Ray
West Texas
USA
This entire issue is going "viral" and for a whole lot of different reasons (and from a ton of different sources), MNF IRAQ is going to feel like they just walked smack into a hurricane if this entire situation persists.
ReplyDeleteIf General Brooks thinks this all is going to go away in a week or so, he's dead wrong. The "inquiries" to his chain of command are only starting.
Gen. Brooks may be thinking "military", but he SERIOUSLY needs to be thinking "Political" (and I don't mean "PC").
Crosspatch shows up on various sites and makes the same inane remark about Mikes actions in Gates of Fire. If the Army really had a problem with his actions they would have thrown him out then and there.
ReplyDeleteWhile they may claim publically that it was a problem privately they understand that these circumstances were extra ordinary. Mike was honest and forthright about what he did. The real issue with Gates of Fire apparently had to do with the Army implying that they didn't want Kurilla's injury to be made known.
But it had already been reported in the MSM before Gates was published.
So it seems CPIC can't even come up with ONE real reason why they didn't want Gates of Fire published. In truth...it was Proximity Delays that they had a real problem with. The hassle of Gates of Fire was payback for Mike publishing Proximity Delays.
If Brooks really had a problem with Mike's action in Gates of Fire, Mike would not have been given another opportunity to embed earlier this year.
The fact that he was granted embed status proves that some in the military at the highest levels, including Petreaus, understands the value Mike brings.
But they also understand that Mike is the voice of truth and will point out problems that often place the spotlight on CPIC and the Military in a less than flattering way. To some like Brooks, Casey, Kimmet this is and was a problem. To men like Petreaus, who "Get it", it isn't!
For the record Crosspatch, Brooks is being a vindicative fool but likely he's motived more by the fact that he is the General who was forced to settle with Mike over the Army stealing or "infringing on Mikes copyright" for that iconic photo of Major Beiger with Farah. This copywright infringement occured under Brooks watch and likely with his knowledge. Mike was about to launch the lawsuit when the Army caved in the face of guilt.
Mike isn't being denied an opportunity to embed with units, he just isn't being provided the proper neccesities to POST THE DISPATCHES.
Why go out on missions and then not be able to tell the story of those missions??
And Mike is notalone in this situation, as he points out,even the MSM is suffering from the same problem unless they happen to have bureau offices in B'dad! Is it any wonder why there are such few embeds?
CPIC has a history of using bullying tactics with Mike but also with the MSM. So this email threatening to throw him out of Iraq is yet another bullying tactic they have used in the past with other embeds including those of the MSM.
CNN, Fox News, and others have been bullied and denied embeds for no reason other than "we simply can"
Gen Kimmit enjoyed (just because he could do this) antagonizing the media, and butted head with Dan Senor. Dan was a bit of a
primadonna but during OIF he was based at Centcom Headquarters in Qatar, serving as Dir.of the Coalition Information Center and understood the value of working with the media, and not antagonizing them, and so when embeds were denied for no real reason, or when the media was being bullied, it was a point of contention between Dan and and certain Generals.
Truth is, SecDef Rummy, Di Rita, Casey, Kimmit all had a direct hand in pulling the plug on any embeds because EVERYTHING had to go that route if it went MSM.
They mirco- managed the embed process and did a f**cked up job of it, all the while blaming the media for the antagonistic relationship. It was never their fault..only the medias.
Mike saw through this bullshit, and put forward his piece "Censoring Iraq". He was spot on, and the Military knew it.
Kimmet denied CNN embeds, just for the hell of it and CNN didn't take to it kindly. When they tried to circumvent the denials by going above him, they were shot down by the above mentioned people.
I'm betting that if we can trace a timeline back, we would notice that shortly after that happened CNN's coverage took a major turn LEFT ---if you get my drift.
The other "issue" CPIC threw at Mike was that they didn't feel his "reach" was all that extensive so they allege that is one reason for this lack of space to send dispatches from. That argument was proven bogus when Brian Williams wrote that:
"At a later date, I plan to share some residual notes from our travels in Iraq -- including some recommended reading. One link that cannot wait another day is the blog of Michael Yon. Michael is a Special Forces veteran who is now a unilateral embedded journalist. His dispatches are the most true-to-life that I've ever encountered -- raw writing from the soldier's point of view. He is best-known for one in particular, called Gates of Fire, a gripping account of a firefight that required him to briefly revert from journalist back to soldier in order to save American lives. I had the pleasure of getting to know him on this trip, and it is easy to see why he enjoys near-rock-star status among members of the military, both active and retired."
What Brian writes is true, Crosspatch, and it's a huge slap in the face to CPIC .While CPIC and the Military have done a miserable job of winning the media war, Michael Yon continues to win the hearts and minds of the most influential media elites and that's why Brooks and his band of ego driven fools are acting out in this manner.
To paraphrase a great line from "A Few Good Men""They can't handle the truth"
I'm a vet and my experience tells me that no matter the shroud of modernity or Ivy education that officers wear, underneath they remain a "my way or the highway" mentalities. I served in many units and reading material was censored; even movies in town were put off limits (everybody ignored that crap). I submit that it's the natural inclination of a class that demands obedience at every level that they will inevitably tell people what to read, see, and write. Brooks couldn't do what he's alleged to be doing to Yon without approval from above, and don't kid yourself.
ReplyDeleteBrooks is a sharp guy who should no better...
ReplyDeleteknow not no
I always got the impression that Brooks was an excellent communicator and leader back in the early stages of OIF.
ReplyDelete