Anyone Have An Answer

Who's right? Who's wrong?
Posted 1/19/2009 10:00:00 AM

As the casualty count climbs in Gaza it seems trite and inappropriate to say that the first casualty in war is truth. But trying to distinguish reality from spin and facts from propaganda shows the axiom to be a self-evident truth. Disseminating information in relation to the situation in the Middle East is akin to herding cats. Good luck trying to get a handle on it. Or maybe that’s the point. If the hearts and minds of those who are ambivalent or confused can be swayed by op-ed pieces in the mainstream media or through heated debates in the blogosphere, the hope is the howls of indignation will be parlayed into political action and ultimately influence the outcome. Disinformation then also becomes an effective tool of diplomacy. In this sense we’re all on the front lines taking in-coming.

- I'm John Oakley