We're the Military and Airpower Guys of Jonah Goldberg of National Review Online + a stray we found wandering around looking lost. All original material JHD, BHD, JR, WT, and KA 2003-2007 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/05/hi_fires_06_may.html Tue, 23 Sep 2008 17:28:51 Z Movable Type 4.12 en Copyright 2008 http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification Open post for those with something to share, updated through the day. New, complete posts come in below this one. Note: If trackbacking, please acknowledge this post in your post. That's only polite. You're advertising here, we should get an ad at your place... ****************************************************************** Woot! Made the Washington Post today. Nikki did a pretty good job (and spelled the name right - you'd be surprised how hard that's been for reporters over the years!) - but the quote of mine she used, bereft of the context, makes it look like I'm a touch more concerned that I am, but... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/05/hi_fires_06_may.html http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/05/hi_fires_06_may.html Sun, 06 May 2007 23:18:28 -0600 True, and the Youtube experiment is kinda sorta leaning to that(kinda). There's still the fingerprints of 'officialdom' over it, which is giving those who don't want to like it more than enough ammo to complain and belittle what's there. As has been said on these pages many, many times the Institution is risk averse. They're also very formulaic. Figure out what happened before you say anything definitive---very unlike the media news cycle. My biggest critique of your criticism, Kat, is it's pushing only one side. I know wanting responsible journalism is something of a forlorn hope, but there has to be movement on other fronts too. Just speeding up your cycle has problems associated with it---as we're seeing in weaknesses of network centric Big War. I really think the solution is for media jackalopes and DoD bigwigs to headshed with each other instead of treating each other as a hostile camp. Since Vietnam the military has been outright hostile to the media and that's looking like a real shortsighted decision right now. The media has to get over their innate and irrational fear of the military. Just having the military push their message and images faster isn't a winning strategy. Fast isn't a strategy in and of itself. I do think the institution has been moving glacially slow to date. They can do better. But moving to be first isn't a winning strategy. YOu have to do the whole OODA loop, not just decide and act. They need to get faster, but faster with a purpose and reason instead of just being faster than the Jihadi jackalopes. Faster isn't always better, imo. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/05/hi_fires_06_may.html#comment-59776 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/05/hi_fires_06_may.html#comment-59776 Mon, 07 May 2007 14:06:38 -0600 I think the USMC are the only media-savvy branch of the service, and have been so for a long time. I believe Harry Truman complained about that. There is excellent color film of horrendously desperate fights in the Pacific islands, taken by official Marine cameramen. I do not think this is a bad thing; I mind the guys in the Army of the Tennessee telling my ancestors, "We're Bill Sherman's raiders, you'd better run!" Possession of a reputation for being ferocious badasses can be helpful in a fight. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/05/hi_fires_06_may.html#comment-59747 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/05/hi_fires_06_may.html#comment-59747 Mon, 07 May 2007 02:29:04 -0600 Ry, it's about driving it down to the lowest levels and empowering people, not about trying to force news out before its accurate and ready. But, if you are in a fire fight with 50 al qaida guys and drive them off of your fob or convoy, why don't we say that? In video if they have it (and yes, there are somethings the jihadists do that we should do more - give video cameras to every active unit, whether combat or cap, have them up load it every night to a central com and have a bunch of geeks like me sitting there editing it for the next morning. Why do they have to wait to send some official military reporter or have an embed to do it? Video doesn't necessarily lie, though it can be twisted. video and AAR with an inclusive statement that says some details were not confirmed yet. Then let the public decide for themselves what was going on. Push it down. and, its not just the approval process, it is complete lack of resources because the military has not had to fight a real media campaign for eternity, our media is skeptical skeptics and, lets face it, how many journalist wannabes in college are planning a career in the military? Do we have appropriate scholorships and other programs to attract these people? Probably not because the big dollars go for doctors and such (arguably necessary, just noting at what level one has to consider the information war if you aren't willing to invest). http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/05/hi_fires_06_may.html#comment-59746 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/05/hi_fires_06_may.html#comment-59746 Mon, 07 May 2007 02:15:20 -0600 If y'all are fans of John Varley's writing, you'll love the DUKW escapades in "Red Lightning." It has all kindsa cool stuff in it, like an ex-drunkard ex-astronaut Major General, a genius Louisiana Coon-Aspie, weird Florida people, evil behind-the-scenes badasses, young love, and etc. and so forth. The good guys win, of course. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/05/hi_fires_06_may.html#comment-59745 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/05/hi_fires_06_may.html#comment-59745 Mon, 07 May 2007 02:09:35 -0600 Hope y'all had fun on the DUKW ride. There was a guy here who tried to do that. The Rich Republican Silly Bimbos got attacks of the vapors about that, so he painted them turquoise, with pretty decorations. Still no-go. Last I heard, his facility has been taken over by really ruthless bad-arse developers. Let me tell you about some of the wimmin we have around here: When we were going to get new bridges over the main waterways around here, some aged Midwestern XX busybody complained that it was already bad enough that people in boats went along the canal behind her house, but that people in slightly taller boats could use said canal if the bridge were built too high. People like her prevailed. Sucks to have a sailboat around here http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/05/hi_fires_06_may.html#comment-59744 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/05/hi_fires_06_may.html#comment-59744 Mon, 07 May 2007 01:42:19 -0600 Kat, like you I'm torn on the OODA loop in the information meta-conflict. But can the US really risk getting caught out in a half truth? I don't think so. 20+ reasons got boiled down to one, afterall. A quick fix isn't really at hand is it? A better and long standing relationship with media seems to be the answer(you know, so they aren't reflexively afraid of the military and gov't). In that environment a faster response should be possible. But now? I think we need to cut them a little slack. At least they aren't actively shooting themselves in the foot with things like the 5 o'Clock Follies(the last active and responsive to time PR effort I can think of) chock full of mistruths. That's SOMETHING. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/05/hi_fires_06_may.html#comment-59740 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/05/hi_fires_06_may.html#comment-59740 Sun, 06 May 2007 21:45:28 -0600 I dunno about Schatman, KAt and John. He's doing a kind of reporting I don't like. He doesn't strike me as an honest broker of criticism, but a dove intent on 'chaning the system from the inside'. Or as inside as he can stand to be. There's a difference between, say Lord 'Phibian criticizing the newest L ship or the LCS and someone who chits on everything going on at DARPA or Navy Labs(some of which is pie in sky garbage but a lot of it is core science needed for innovation 50 years later(and without Bell Labs...)). He's first on stuff, but he's also nasty much of the time too. That's my read. Maybe I'm the jerk and misreading him. But I'm only calling it like I see it. He's a got a stick up ______ about military spending and working on futuristic ideas that we don't know what'll come out of(but past experience, Bell Labs, shows we often get something amazing out of because we're doing core science instead of 'applicable' science.). http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/05/hi_fires_06_may.html#comment-59738 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/05/hi_fires_06_may.html#comment-59738 Sun, 06 May 2007 20:56:00 -0600 http://www.buckstix.com/CoehornMortarHunt.htm The same guy has a great story on building a mountain howitzer, and proof that they can be handy for deer hunting.]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/05/hi_fires_06_may.html#comment-59723 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/05/hi_fires_06_may.html#comment-59723 Sun, 06 May 2007 11:27:17 -0600 Mama Hilton is right. It was a misuse of taxpayer dollars when the onus of responsibility was on her precious child. Had Paris been accountable and jumped through the hoops as mandated by CA law, her sorry but expensive butt would not be anticipating a jail sentence. I got my first of two speeding tickets in CA. I was 16, and the judge lectured me, and mandated traffic school to beat the ticket. I was on probation for one year and could not add any more points to my license. Had I not enrolled, I would have had my license suspended for six months. And that was in 1975. Boo freakin' hoo, Paris. You will be in a cell all to your lonesome and maybe you can reflect on the total waste your life has been and maybe you can do something about it. Mama, you are a loser too and I am keeping track of the Hilton establishments to ensure that I NEVER add one d*mn dime to darling Paris' trust fund. I can only say this; she hasn't added to the gene pool. Yet. For that I am grateful. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/05/hi_fires_06_may.html#comment-59721 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/05/hi_fires_06_may.html#comment-59721 Sun, 06 May 2007 08:24:03 -0600