Attack Is a Media Coup for Iraq Resistance, Experts Say

[Judi Lynn]

October 27, 2003 THE WORLD
Attack Is a Media Coup for Iraq Resistance, Experts Say

By Alissa J. Rubin, Times Staff Writer


BAGHDAD — The assault on the Rashid Hotel by Iraqi resistance fighters Sunday was designed to grab attention by flaunting their ability to inflict casualties on U.S. soldiers and civilians, even those ensconced within the most secure compound in Iraq, according to terrorism experts and law enforcement officials in Baghdad.

The onslaught, in which one U.S. colonel was killed and 15 people were wounded, did not cause as many casualties as previous attacks on other high-profile targets in the capital. But it exhibited the growing sophistication of the opposition's tactics and raised hard questions about whether it would be possible to stem such attacks.

Early today, the resistance struck again, detonating an ambulance packed with explosives at the headquarters of the International Committee of the Red Cross. A U.S. military official said that at least 10 people were killed in the attack.

Toby Dodge, a terrorism expert at the Royal Institute of International Affairs in London, called the attack on the Rashid "a coup for the guys who did it."

"Politically, it shows people that they can deploy at will…. By attacking the most famous landmark in the compound, they are saying, 'We rule the streets. You don't,' " he said. (snip/...)

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-resist27oct27000421,1,7106712.story?coll=la-headlines-world

[dbt]

1. Hmmm. Thorny problem for US Media.

They really, really want to be good little lapdogs and only print/speak what bu$h wants. On the other hand, they've got 37 DEAD IN LATEST ROCKET ATTACK to try to downplay. To minimize such a story is to violate that time-honored principle, "If it bleeds, it leads."

I suspect the Iraqi resistance will simply ratchet up the attacks until the stories get too big to bury. Then the dread Fear Of Getting Scooped will kick in and some senior executive at one of the Whore Nets will begin to have nightmares about the night that Uncle Walter told the nation that the government was lying to us about Viet Nam.

How long will it take until the Profit Motive trumps "Patriotism?" Stay tuned.

:freak:
dbt

[Gman]

2. Good take on the Profit Motive

The PM explains much of the media's actions up to the FCC's media ownership ruling. I agree the PM will likely prove too strong to overlook or downplay such juicy stories.

[HFishbine]

3. Doing Their Best

CNN is reporting 13 dead.

[dbt]

4. Pretty CONSERVATIVE estimate

from the Liberal Media, no?

:argh:
dbt