US Iraq information surge

O’Hanlon and Pollock say the surge is having a positive impact

In this week’s global media show, The Listening Post, Richard Gizbert examines the US information surge that has welled up in the aftermath of the US military surge in Iraq. We find out why ‘green’ journalism can be such a controversial undertaking plus we hear how the Russian military recently fooled everybody bar a 13-year-old boy from Finland.

In this week’s News Divide, we return to Iraq. Within the last few days the country has suffered one of its worst atrocities since the outbreak of war. As we go to air, over 250 people have died in a set of explosions in Northern Iraq with more than 200 still missing.

It is clearly not what the US authorities envisaged when they embarked upon their military surge at the start of the summer. Yet in recent weeks the American media have seized upon the findings of two Washington based analysts who have published a report saying that the surge is having a positive impact.

The Finnish boy who managed to outsmart the Russian military

The report was deemed significant because the two analysts, Michael O’Hanlon and Kenneth Pollack, described themselves as anti war liberals. In this week’s Listening Post we examine the controversy their findings have generated.

Some opponents of the war claim that O’Hanlon and Pollock have always supported the US administration. They insist that two are merely serving as credible mouthpieces for an administration which must persuade the US public to continue with the surge. If true, the accusation inculpates most of America’s mainstream media.

Also in the programme we look at the growth of ‘green’ journalism and the problems which threaten its own survival. Climate change may be one of the world’s biggest stories but it is also a very complex scientific issue.

A tribute to Condoleezza Rice, in honour of her recent trip to the Middle East

Climate change sceptics claim that the issue is too complicated for most journalists and that these journalists are embracing the fuzzy charms of the green movement’s agenda with little regard for the facts. We investigate their claim. 

In Newsbytes, we look at the other big media stories this week including the launch of an environmentally sounder alternative to Google, the clampdown on Moroccan media and the 13-year-old Finnish boy who managed to outsmart the Russian military with a little help from his copy of the film Titanic.

Last but not least is our internet video of the week, a touching tribute to Condoleezza Rice, in honour of her recent trip to the Middle East.

Watch this episode of The Listening Post here:

Part 1:

Part 2:

This episode of The Listening Post airs from 17 August 2007

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