(no subject)

[electricland]

Sobering column by Maureen Dowd at the New York Times (free registration may be required).

I've been thinking for a long time now that what the Iraq situation has been crying out for is some decent PR. I don't mean spin and "everything's-just-fabulous", I mean clear communication from the occupying force about its goals, activities, and challenges: "We want to help you. Here's what we're doing to restore water and power and public order. Here is our estimated timeline for doing it. Here's what's been hampering us." Managing expectations, in other words.

What really baffles me is that so many of the morons in Washington still don't seem to have a clue why the Iraqi people have no reason to trust them. All along there's been this sort of wounded "why don't they like us?" tone.

Unfortunately it seems like things may have gone beyond the power of PR to fix.

Comments

[bryghtboy.livejournal.com]

I think there is also some of the "We are doing this for your own good, even if you don't think so." contained within the American presence in Iraq so the Americans don't really want to outline what they are going to do because the Iraqi people would not want what the US is offering. Very few countries around the world are striving to become Jeffersonian style democracies that also happen to be lackey's to American Big Business... and since that seems to be the goal of the US they are tight lipped about it.

And stuff and stuff... I really don't know nearly enough to have an informed opinioned so I'm just guessing and I don't think the amount of information trickling out into CNN or BBC is enough to have an informed opinion.

[bryghtboy.livejournal.com]

Was just reading the article over again and something jumped out at me... all of the dissidents are streaming into Iraq. And not coming over to the US to blow up stuff. I'm wondering if this is the game plan and nothing to do with the "Axis of Evil", maybe stomaching 100 soldiers dead or wounded is easier than another 3000 civilians... or something.