1 Rusty,

First off, thanks for the link.  I really appreciate that.  I think we'll have some interesting, if semi-scientific, data for our friends in the fight.

I agree with you that it's important to make sure people know we are winning.  But then, I'm probably a lot like you.  I would never vote for anyone who wanted to cut and run.  Not everyone thinks like us.  A lot of people make their decisions based on the emotions elicited by stories.  Stories appeal to our primitive side, our non-rational side.  So long as the stories are nothing but violence, only a portion of the populace will be interested in continuing the campaign.

As an aside, did you know that in Imperial Japan in the 1930s, even with the media carefully controlled, the population turned against the war in China?  It turned out that they didn't like receiving endless body bags.  It's not just control of the media, it's what you have to say.

We can't sustain the fight without engaging the people who decide based on feelings and not thought.  I'm hoping we can convince the military to give us access to the emotional stories and make everyone, regardless of political affiliation, see the dramatic difference between the Coalition and the terrorists.

Next on my play list is this one.  Feel free to post it yourself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtxfJYOxJtk

Wow.

2 Oh, I agree about the feelings.  But the feeling they long for is victory.  We want to believe we are winning, not just doing good.

3 But cannot one be thoughtful and rational and still come to the conclusion we are not winning? Or are you positing that bad PR is as the heart of the War's current ill-will and the general populace is merely misinformed about its actual progress?

The former seems at least possible, while the latter seems highly simplistic and improbable.

Let's say that most in America would agree that war is always bad, but sometimes necessary and right. If so, then showing the bad, no matter how bad, should not erode its support if the public thinks that the war is essentially right. And conversely, if they disagree with the war, no amount of showing the good should be able to change that viewpoint. If they disagree, they'll find new reasons to disagree, no matter what's on the tube.

So how do you explain the shift in attitude? Are the American people more rationally perceptive than you give them credit for, even if ruled by weak-willed Nancy-Boys who let their emotions wash over them? I believe they are. Anyone can be manipulated, at least for a while. But in the end, gut instincts usually bubble to the surface and I think that's what you're seeing now.

You and KT Cat don't seem to allow for such possibilities.

4 It's interesting that these videos are called WOG, which also happens to be a derogatory name for Arabs and other Brownish people in the UK.

Either this is intentional, which makes you guys assholes, or it's unintentional, which makes you clueless retards. Usually a PR campaign doesn't set out to massively offend people, but maybe you guys are using "different PR" in hopes that it will all come around.

Mind you, you also think you're winning, which is sad and delusional.

5 I didn't vote yet because I would like to know what the kids in both videos were saying.  Especially at the end of the second video, there is a boy and girl singing/reciting something (was it religious or a nursery rhymn)?

I value the work our servicemen perform in Iraq and Afghanistan, and I enjoy viewing film clips displaying positive achievements.  Unfortunately, I can't shake the feeling that the kids with the soccer balls were saying 'gimme, gimme' instead of  'gee, thanks fellas'.   

6 Thanks for the helpful comments and analysis!

The World of Good is my series on my blog.  Some people will take offense at my acronym.  I wish they wouldn't, but I like the title, I've used it for a long time and one of my linkers coined the cool term "The WOG Squad" for the folks who link to these posts. 

The slightest examination of my WOG posts would reveal their nature.  My WOGs are described and listed here.  The WOGs are not part of the PR suggestion.  I just used this one as a vehicle to do a little focus group work.  The WOGs are linked to every week by a variety of religious bloggers.  I get a good cross-section of readers from that.  I thought they would make for an interesting sample set.

If you read some of the anti-war blogs or posts or comments, you'll find that one of the recurring themes is "We're not doing anyone any good" or "We're just bringing death and misery."  That's all rubbish and has to be countered in order to persuade that subset of the populace.  If we don't stop the equating of our troops with the terrorists, then we'll never be able to stand up to them anywhere.

No, the public sentiment about the war isn't simple, but there are some erroneous themes that can be countered with a little effort.  One of them is that America is no different than the terrorists and that our presence there is about nothing more than violence.

As for whether we're winning or losing, well, in June of 1940 I would suggest that the British were losing, too.  Quitting wasn't an option then and it's not now, either.  I don't think we're losing, but if I did, I'd be working twice as hard at this.

7 Rusty unforunately none of our on scene commanders have been able to tell us that we are winning. In fact even our dear leader has stopped saying it.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/19/AR2006121900880_pf.html

8 John Ryan,
 
So you have an orgasm and jizz all over yourself in anticipation that a loss in Iraq will prove to the American people how evil and incompetent the republicans are and how they should turn control of the government and all its tax revenues over to you and your liberal/democrat/socialist/communist friends. Where I come from providing aid and comfort to your enemies so that your political opponents will lose power and you can take up their positions of power is called TREASON.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
http://www.mp3.com.au/artist.asp?id=16834

9 KT Cat,

I'll look more into your site. You sound sincere, and I think there are very few people in the West who believe that US troops are no better than terrorists.

I think it's important to show this sort of thing, but it isn't about the troops on the ground... all the soccer balls in the world can't make up for failed policy.

10 I guarantee that if we had been attacked under a Democrat administration they would make us look like kitty cats with thier response.  Oh, Wait a minute we were attacked under a Democratic administration and they did squat. The retreated, Hoping that the danger would just go away.  It didn't. So John why did the left not kick some ass in 93?  Somalia. Why did you take the wrong side in Yugoslavia?  Ever see the vis of your "freedom fighters" destroying churches and beheading people in Yogoslavia during the conflict there? I have.  Nice ROP ya got there.

11 #9 John....trying to find a sucker are you?

12 John Ryan: Two American soldiers died today. Now go beat your meat.