Riz Khan

The ‘Youtube Wars’

The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have spilled into another frontier – the Internet.

The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have spilled into another frontier – the Internet.

Raw footage both from American soldiers as well as fighters in Iraq and Afghanistan are flooding cyberspace leading many to call the conflicts the world’s first ‘YouTube Wars’.

Those videos give viewers an unfiltered view of the wars, taking them right to the heart of the fighting.

The Pentagon is now actively encouraging soldiers to “share their personal stories” on the Internet in what is considered a vigorous new effort to counter the impact of videos posted by those fighting US-led forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.

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While many feel it is important for the world to see the violence up close and personal – unfiltered by mainstream media, critics argue such clips are counterproductive because they lack context and amount to little more than ‘war porn’ – viewed purely for entertainment purposes.

So what impact will this new propaganda battle have on global public opinion and perception of both wars?

Discussing that will be Jennifer Terry, from the University of California who produced a study of military videos from Iraq and Afghanistan; and writer and academic Adel Iskandar whose areas of expertise include contemporary Arab media and its coverage of conflict.

We will also have with us Iraqi journalist Salam Talib who is presently working on a documentary called Guests in the Living Room – an account of Iraqi refugees trying to rebuild their lives around the world.

This episode of the Riz Khan show aired from Tuesday, June 15, 2010.