[icernet] War Watch - Claims and counter claims made during the media war

[Arul Selvan]

  "Fog" is the watchword of this war, with the lines between fact and 
propaganda being blurred on a daily basis. The demands of 
round-the-clock news means military claims are being relayed instantly 
to millions without being confirmed or verified only to be refuted later 
by reporters on the ground or by fresh military updates.

In due course, questions will be asked about the clashing interests of 
the military and the media and the role of war propaganda in the pursuit 
of a swift victory against Saddam Hussein's regime.

An early example of false claims relates to the battle to take control 
of Umm Qasr, the southern Iraqi deep-sea port and one of the key targets 
in the early war. By the first weekend of the conflict, it had been 
reported "taken" nine times, despite continued ugly skirmishes between 
coalition forces and irregulars loyal to Saddam operating out of the old 
town. Umm Qasr was not, in fact, taken until three days later.

Here MediaGuardian.co.uk charts the contradictory claims and counter 
claims made so far.

Details at:
http://media.guardian.co.uk/iraqandthemedia/story/0,12823,921649,00.html