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March 25, 2009
Pratap Chatterjee's account of divided Afghanistan in The Atlantic gives a different account to Afghanistan as the official one of Afghanistan being the haven for Islamic terrorists who threaten our national security.
The reality is that most American taxpayer money is actually spent on US troops, not on poor Afghans to provide them with electricity, water, healthcare, a steady food supply and jobs. The Obama administration's policy is one of escalation of US military presence in Afghanistan and the continuation of drone attacks in Pakistan. Australia will tag along whilst offering advice about nation building and remaining silent about the lack of a coherent strategic plan by the US in southwest Asia.
Will the media coverage of Australia's war in Afghanistan glorify this war and mostly show the pro-Government side? Will our largest media outlets (News Ltd, Fairfax, Channel Nine etc ) continue to pay people who receive their talking points from government press releases to pose as independent experts? Will the media raise the question that Australia's interests in southwest Asia are minimal and do not require major social engineering.
Stephen Colbert's speech at the 2006 White House Correspondents' Dinner spells out the rules:
But, listen, let's review the rules. Here's how it works. The President makes decisions. He's the decider. The press secretary announces those decisions, and you people of the press type those decisions down. Make, announce, type. Just put 'em through a spell check and go home. Get to know your family again. Make love to your wife. Write that novel you got kicking around in your head. You know, the one about the intrepid Washington reporter with the courage to stand up to the administration? You know, fiction.
The illusion in the media world--ie., the political media establishment--- is that there is an built antagonism between the government and the media. Yet what is on display on the Sunday morning talk shows (Insiders, Meet the Press etc ) is the insider savviness, professionalism and coolness, coupled to a desire for a deep respect and appreciation from the audience, whose proper role in one of blissful ignorance and populist emotionalism.
Yet what drives these media stars is the desperate-to-be-close-to-power neediness, and they fight tooth and nail as gatekeepers to deny that access to power to others. The gatewatching is about access. This is a relationship that presupposes that experts in defence, national security and foreign policy make the decisions because they know best. So much for the checks and balances provided by the establishment-loyal, political media. The media stars ignore the criticisms of their behavior in acting as conduits for political leaks, and they often act to suppress their amplification of government spin.
What needs to be said is that wading deeper into Afghanistan and Pakistan is a fool's errand, and it is a policy that Australia --and the Obama administration--- will regret. Australia has no vital interest in determining who actually governs in Afghanistan.
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Kevin Rudd goes to Washington to talk to Barack Obama about the global economy, Afghanistan and global warming--the big issues of the day. The Australian media gushes about how warm their relationship is. They bond and talk the same talk etc etc. Spare me.
On Afghanistan do you think that they will get around to discussing an exit strategy? What is the Rudd Government's real position---that Australia's interests are best served by saying yes to a US call for more support. Rudd has a reputation for being a little American.