War / Peace

Newsday columnist Sheryl McCarthy had a queasy feeling as she watched President Bush with D.C. school children promoting his newly created America's Fund for Afghan Children. "I get nervous when public officials trot out the children. What president whose country is involved in a dicey war, what mayor whose approval rating is down doesn't look good when flanked by a group of earnest and trusting kids?" McCarthy writes. "The children's fund is pure public relations.

"As this new, modern war unfolds, it has become inarguable that the weapon of speech craft is among the most powerful in the military arsenal," writes PR counselor Fraser Seitel, who examines the rhetorical techniques in speeches by George Bush, Tony Blair and Osama Bin Laden. "CEOs and communicators alike can learn from the skillful ways that Bush, our allies and even adversaries have used the content of their speeches to further their objectives," he writes.

There is an aching information vacuum at the center of the war on terrorism, which sources on both sides of the conflict -- both governments and terrorists -- are trying to fill. "The irony is that the US media have already proved willing to comply with military orders when it matters," observes Jay Rayner. "Seventeen news organisations knew three days before that the bombing of Afghanistan was to start on Sunday, and said nothing."

The UK Guardian reports, "Only five days after the bombing of Afghanistan began, Mr Blair made the extraordinary admission that the west was in danger of losing the propaganda war in Muslim states. He said: 'One thing becoming increasingly clear to me is the need to upgrade our media and public opinion operations in the Arab and Muslim world. There is a need for us to communicate effectively.'"