From: dpe@inel.gov (Don Palmrose)
Subject: Re: NBC news and Dan Quayle
Organization: INEL EG&G Idaho
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 92 14:37:19 GMT

In article <17h0ehINNdsr@early-bird.think.com>, laird@think.com (Laird Popkin) writes:
>

  [previous lines deleted for space]
> 
> I don't have anything against the military -- the people I know in the
> military are intelligent, well intentioned, self-sacrificing, and hard
> working.  But when the military and government as a whole has lied to the
> american people on substantial issues before, during, and after every
> war/police action in my lifetime, a certain cynicism develops.
> 
> Unfortunately the "lesson" that the military learned from the Vietnam was
> wasn't that the government can't fight wars which the people oppose, it was
> that the government should manipulate public opinion to create public
> support before starting wars.  To that end, they are willing to lie to the
> people and its representatives (Congress and journalists), not only
> explicitly -- by saying things which are known not to be true -- but
> implicitely -- by failing to say things which would generate bad publicity,
> or allowing people to see what is going on.
> -- 
> - Laird Popkin, Thinking Machines
> 
> Connection Machine: Massively parallel supercomputer.  Also a cool black
> cube with more blinking lights than you can shake a stick at.
> 
> 

I can understand your cynicism, however, if you are talking to those you know
serving in the military on a regular basis, I hope they can dispell some of
that negative feeling.  As one who has watched the debate of "free press vs 
military secrecy" from inside the armed forces and as a civilian, I have come
to the conclusion that whatever procedures or policies are established will
never satisfy people like yourself nor that minority in the military who may
fit your stereotype.  I hope that you can understand that in ANY organization
(private or government) there is an extremely strong desire that any publicity
generated by that group be viewed in a positive way (it's human nature).

However, there has been much debate inside the military between the time of 
Grenada and Desert Storm (DS) on how to let the press cover a conflict 
without endangering the military operations (check the past issues of the
US Naval Institute's _Proceedings_ magazine for some ideas and viewpoints
from officers in the US Navy).  You must understand that some sort of 
compromise will be the final solution.  I feel that in any future war, the
procedures for passing information to the press (and thus the public) will
be handled in much the same way as done in DS except I would expect there to 
be more field reporters.  Eventhough there will be a tendency to release
information with "rose-colored glasses", the press and the public will know 
the true nature of the direction of the conflict but not every little detail
whether it is positive or negative from the military leadership viewpoint.

The vast majority of the officers in the military understand and respect your
viewpoint and feelings on this matter.  I believe that they will do their 
best to ensure the free flow of information during a conflict in a truthfull
manner to the maximum extent that the military situation will allow.

Anyway, that's my $0.02 on this subject.

Don Palmrose



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