Yesterday's newsletter detailed how the media is largely overlooking voices that supported Biden's decision to withdraw from Afghanistan. Instead media reports are almost exclusively highlighting criticism of the withdrawal — often from people complicit in two decades of failed policy in Afghanistan.
Judd, your column yesterday and today's on the media are so eye-opening. Great work. They should be required reading for all Americans. Also glad you'll be following the schools and the mask debacle. Why anyone thinks putting children in harm's way is a good strategy for running for president is beyond me. Have a great vacation! Well-deserved.
It’s a very well orchestrated farce that the media is ‘left-wing’ or ‘liberal’, the truth is actually quite the opposite. Media coverage in general favors conservative view points far more often than that of liberals. And when I say it’s orchestrated, that’s exactly what I mean. Repeating that mantra has solidified the conservative’s reliable invites to spread their opinions unchecked on television as well as in print. It has basically guilted anyone who dares to fact-check their falsehoods into silence. All the conservative needs to do if anyone dares to speak up is pull out their ‘liberal media bias’ card and the opposition is immediately dismissed with prejudice regardless of the comment or content of the argument.
Yep, they ignored the voices speaking out in favor of the withdrawal to amplify voices give their history of commentary have no business criticizing the decision at all. People who stood by and cheered when Trump abandoned our allies in Syria to please Russia. Golf clapped and nodded approvingly when Trump negotiated a withdrawal with the Taliban without the official Afghani government even present. These people kissed Trumps patootie when he arranged for criminal leaders of the Taliban to be released from prison. Give me a break! St least 80% of the problems in this country is due to lazy,”we gotta push this narrative”, partisan, bull shit reporting
Thank you for your reporting on the media’s coverage of Afghanistan. My question is: who in the media profits from the one-sided criticism of the U.S. withdrawal? Is it just manufactured controversy to drive eyeballs to their publications or is it something more? I remember the run-up to the U.S. invasion into Iraq in 2003 and the media coverage was nothing but frothing at the mouth for war. It was disgusting.
I have to ask myself, what does the media stand to gain with this one-sided “reporting”?To quote a famous movie, “follow the money”.
I agree. I am glad to see those who step up at this time and admit war is rarely the solution. Anyway, the responses from your readers are aligned with my views and thoughts, as well. I was disgusted with even the “liberal” media trying at first to spin the withdrawal as a stain on Biden’s presidency. Good grief. Really?
Good on you, folks, for the level-headed take on the media. In spite of what the right wing thinks about the MSM, they can also tilt right when it seems to suit. As a recovering journalist, my question is this, where are the reporters seeking interviews with former Afghan soldiers and officers about the true story of "laying down their arms because they are cowards". I doubt that this is the story at all.
1% owners of major media don't want the truth out there. It isn't the version of what they want. Biden has been a pain to their goal. And, that my friends just might be an oligarchy of an America run by wealth and big corporations.
Thanks for this clarity about the media narrative! I have started looking forward to reading you daily and look forward to reading you when you come back. May you have a great vacation.
So many telling details, Judd, including the one - which I did not know - that air strikes were needed to keep the Taliban at bay after the troops were drawn down, which increased the toll on civilians.
I can't help but think that the failure of Afghan institutions, after 20 years of money infusions and all the "coaching" and "managing" by western "experts", was due to the unforgivable ignorance of none other than those experts. Were the institutions built collaboratively with the Afghans? Were the voices of rural Afghanis, including women and elders, taken into consideration? Were cultural nuances taken into consideration? For many old cultures, such as exist in Afghanistan, relationships are the infrastructure on which society is built. Perhaps if the State Department, rather than the hierarchical military, had been allowed to collaboratively shape our investments in Afghanistan over the past few years, the outcomes might have been very different.
It's so telling that someone like Rory Stewart would identify continued occupation of Afghanistan as "low-cost, low-risk." When military spending is virtually limitless and primarily civilians' lives are at risk, evidently, the powers-that-be in the West have no problem saying yes.
Judd, Thanks for writing this important column. There seem to be so many mainstream media sources flogging those tired pro-military memes. I think it's all about the "defense" contracts and the network of corporate bigwigs that run the big outlets.
I am SO GLAD you wrote this. I totally support Biden's actions and his original speech addressing this I thought was one of his all time greats, if not they greatest. Also, I have not seen (and there may be some) any comments about WHERE they're taking these poor people/their plans for them, i.e. food, clothing, health needs? I assume most US citizens being evacuated have a place to go, but those poor Afganis......just going to dump them in some place and leave them there? Very disappointed in mainstream media. Hours spent on Gov. Abbott not wearing a mask to a party, but look at all those people crammed into those planes? Guess there isn't any covid over there. Thanks for ALL you do!
So much for "liberal" media, then. This same thing happened in the so-called "liberal" media back in 2001 and again in 2003. Some of us are old enough to remember that quite clearly.
I’m appalled at the lack of balanced coverage on this topic! Afghanistan is a tragedy of our own making! What did we ever think the end game was truly to be for the women and girls we delivered hope to? Magic fairy dust to wipe out the radical Islam that dominates the region?
Judd, your column yesterday and today's on the media are so eye-opening. Great work. They should be required reading for all Americans. Also glad you'll be following the schools and the mask debacle. Why anyone thinks putting children in harm's way is a good strategy for running for president is beyond me. Have a great vacation! Well-deserved.
It’s a very well orchestrated farce that the media is ‘left-wing’ or ‘liberal’, the truth is actually quite the opposite. Media coverage in general favors conservative view points far more often than that of liberals. And when I say it’s orchestrated, that’s exactly what I mean. Repeating that mantra has solidified the conservative’s reliable invites to spread their opinions unchecked on television as well as in print. It has basically guilted anyone who dares to fact-check their falsehoods into silence. All the conservative needs to do if anyone dares to speak up is pull out their ‘liberal media bias’ card and the opposition is immediately dismissed with prejudice regardless of the comment or content of the argument.
Yep, they ignored the voices speaking out in favor of the withdrawal to amplify voices give their history of commentary have no business criticizing the decision at all. People who stood by and cheered when Trump abandoned our allies in Syria to please Russia. Golf clapped and nodded approvingly when Trump negotiated a withdrawal with the Taliban without the official Afghani government even present. These people kissed Trumps patootie when he arranged for criminal leaders of the Taliban to be released from prison. Give me a break! St least 80% of the problems in this country is due to lazy,”we gotta push this narrative”, partisan, bull shit reporting
Thank you for your reporting on the media’s coverage of Afghanistan. My question is: who in the media profits from the one-sided criticism of the U.S. withdrawal? Is it just manufactured controversy to drive eyeballs to their publications or is it something more? I remember the run-up to the U.S. invasion into Iraq in 2003 and the media coverage was nothing but frothing at the mouth for war. It was disgusting.
I have to ask myself, what does the media stand to gain with this one-sided “reporting”?To quote a famous movie, “follow the money”.
You’ve earned a break. Thanks a million for all your GREAT REPORTING!
I agree. I am glad to see those who step up at this time and admit war is rarely the solution. Anyway, the responses from your readers are aligned with my views and thoughts, as well. I was disgusted with even the “liberal” media trying at first to spin the withdrawal as a stain on Biden’s presidency. Good grief. Really?
Good on you, folks, for the level-headed take on the media. In spite of what the right wing thinks about the MSM, they can also tilt right when it seems to suit. As a recovering journalist, my question is this, where are the reporters seeking interviews with former Afghan soldiers and officers about the true story of "laying down their arms because they are cowards". I doubt that this is the story at all.
I wrote about this yesterday in comments here.
1% owners of major media don't want the truth out there. It isn't the version of what they want. Biden has been a pain to their goal. And, that my friends just might be an oligarchy of an America run by wealth and big corporations.
Afghanistan is a convenient scape goat.
Thanks for this clarity about the media narrative! I have started looking forward to reading you daily and look forward to reading you when you come back. May you have a great vacation.
So many telling details, Judd, including the one - which I did not know - that air strikes were needed to keep the Taliban at bay after the troops were drawn down, which increased the toll on civilians.
I can't help but think that the failure of Afghan institutions, after 20 years of money infusions and all the "coaching" and "managing" by western "experts", was due to the unforgivable ignorance of none other than those experts. Were the institutions built collaboratively with the Afghans? Were the voices of rural Afghanis, including women and elders, taken into consideration? Were cultural nuances taken into consideration? For many old cultures, such as exist in Afghanistan, relationships are the infrastructure on which society is built. Perhaps if the State Department, rather than the hierarchical military, had been allowed to collaboratively shape our investments in Afghanistan over the past few years, the outcomes might have been very different.
Great piece
It's so telling that someone like Rory Stewart would identify continued occupation of Afghanistan as "low-cost, low-risk." When military spending is virtually limitless and primarily civilians' lives are at risk, evidently, the powers-that-be in the West have no problem saying yes.
Judd, Thanks for writing this important column. There seem to be so many mainstream media sources flogging those tired pro-military memes. I think it's all about the "defense" contracts and the network of corporate bigwigs that run the big outlets.
I am SO GLAD you wrote this. I totally support Biden's actions and his original speech addressing this I thought was one of his all time greats, if not they greatest. Also, I have not seen (and there may be some) any comments about WHERE they're taking these poor people/their plans for them, i.e. food, clothing, health needs? I assume most US citizens being evacuated have a place to go, but those poor Afganis......just going to dump them in some place and leave them there? Very disappointed in mainstream media. Hours spent on Gov. Abbott not wearing a mask to a party, but look at all those people crammed into those planes? Guess there isn't any covid over there. Thanks for ALL you do!
So much for "liberal" media, then. This same thing happened in the so-called "liberal" media back in 2001 and again in 2003. Some of us are old enough to remember that quite clearly.
I’m appalled at the lack of balanced coverage on this topic! Afghanistan is a tragedy of our own making! What did we ever think the end game was truly to be for the women and girls we delivered hope to? Magic fairy dust to wipe out the radical Islam that dominates the region?