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American Morning
Embedded Journalist Idea Getting Good Reviews
Aired March 27, 2003 - 08:49 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR: The idea we're going to be focusing on in this segment is the expectations, were they managed well by the Pentagon? We heard the criticism and the Jeff Greenfield piece earlier about questions to the media. Joining us is David Grange, retired Army general. You at one time carrying out the orders of the Pentagon and the Pentagon planners. How do you think they've managed expectations for this war?
GEN. DAVID GRANGE (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Renay, I think what has happened is a perception with the slang word of "shock and awe" that some massive strike would happen that was just spectacular and the single image that encompassed the entire country of Iraq and then people would capitulate. I don't believe that the administration or the Pentagon or anybody actually said that, but perception becomes reality if people think that. And I think they glean that from a lot of discussions and it just wasn't what they thought it would be.
SAN MIGUEL: You saw the press conference earlier this morning about some of the soldiers wounded in the fighting in Nasiriya. One saying he was surprised by the level of resistance that they had encountered. Were you surprised that he was surprised by that level of resistance?
GRANGE: No, not really. I wasn't surprised that he was surprised. Truth changes as soon as you hit the ground. It's a saying when the terrain, the ground changes from the map of the plan, you got to go with the ground, with reality. What you find in the battlefield and that's exactly what happened and that lance corporal in the analysis he received. In his briefing was that that particular site, there wouldn't be a lot of resistance and his point on the battlefield, remember, his point on the battlefield, it changed, it wasn't what he thought it would be, so that's his perception.
SAN MIGUEL: Everybody has talked about the military having to be adaptable during these set times of-- of situations.
GRANGE: It has to be.
SAN MIGUEL: And the weather forcing that as well. I am not sure if you read slate.com there is a column in there today talking about the embedded journalists that Bill Hemmer was referring to saying whoever at the Pentagon, which general thought up the embedded journalist concept should demand another star because it's getting positive coverage for the military. I wonder if you think this has worked out well. Is there enough skepticism being reported on?
GRANGE: When you're embedded, you do get attached to the unit you're with because you're in harm's way with that particular organization, or you're right with them eating and sleeping and everything with that particular unit. Non-profit organizations, McCormick Tribune Foundation, year before last had a conference with media from print, from wire, from broadcast and they had military representatives from all of the services and from that conference, it was decided that if you look at the media pools, you're looking at freelance reporting, that embedding was the best way to go. One to get everybody to the tip of the sphere and get honest facts from the battlefield, good or bad stories, it would come that way. I personally believe that the embedding concept is the way to go in today's world with 24/7.
SAN MIGUEL: 24/7 media coverage is what you're saying?
GRANGE: That's right.
SAN MIGUEL: We have satellite imagery of Basra before the war began and what happened from March 23rd. We're going to show that. A lot of talk about the Pentagon managing the expectations for the paramilitary that are scattered all over the Basra. The Fedayeen Saddam maybe having to re-adjust their strategy according to reports from the Pentagon.
GRANGE: I think the pressure is on the Fedayeen, and it's just not the Fedayeen, it's not just just this Gestapo type organization of Saddam's sons, it's also Iraqi special forces, there's other paramilitary in there as well. You saw this British strike go into the Baath headquarters, a surgical strike, take out one of these paramilitary forces and you get right back out again. At the same time, efforts of civil affairs, meaning water, electricity, food, medical support to win the hearts and minds. You have to do both approaches simultaneously to make this happen. It's starting to have an effect, I think, on the paramilitary forces.
SAN MIGUEL: Retired Army General David Grange, thank you for your insights. We do appreciate it.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired March 27, 2003 - 08:49 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR: The idea we're going to be focusing on in this segment is the expectations, were they managed well by the Pentagon? We heard the criticism and the Jeff Greenfield piece earlier about questions to the media. Joining us is David Grange, retired Army general. You at one time carrying out the orders of the Pentagon and the Pentagon planners. How do you think they've managed expectations for this war?
GEN. DAVID GRANGE (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Renay, I think what has happened is a perception with the slang word of "shock and awe" that some massive strike would happen that was just spectacular and the single image that encompassed the entire country of Iraq and then people would capitulate. I don't believe that the administration or the Pentagon or anybody actually said that, but perception becomes reality if people think that. And I think they glean that from a lot of discussions and it just wasn't what they thought it would be.
SAN MIGUEL: You saw the press conference earlier this morning about some of the soldiers wounded in the fighting in Nasiriya. One saying he was surprised by the level of resistance that they had encountered. Were you surprised that he was surprised by that level of resistance?
GRANGE: No, not really. I wasn't surprised that he was surprised. Truth changes as soon as you hit the ground. It's a saying when the terrain, the ground changes from the map of the plan, you got to go with the ground, with reality. What you find in the battlefield and that's exactly what happened and that lance corporal in the analysis he received. In his briefing was that that particular site, there wouldn't be a lot of resistance and his point on the battlefield, remember, his point on the battlefield, it changed, it wasn't what he thought it would be, so that's his perception.
SAN MIGUEL: Everybody has talked about the military having to be adaptable during these set times of-- of situations.
GRANGE: It has to be.
SAN MIGUEL: And the weather forcing that as well. I am not sure if you read slate.com there is a column in there today talking about the embedded journalists that Bill Hemmer was referring to saying whoever at the Pentagon, which general thought up the embedded journalist concept should demand another star because it's getting positive coverage for the military. I wonder if you think this has worked out well. Is there enough skepticism being reported on?
GRANGE: When you're embedded, you do get attached to the unit you're with because you're in harm's way with that particular organization, or you're right with them eating and sleeping and everything with that particular unit. Non-profit organizations, McCormick Tribune Foundation, year before last had a conference with media from print, from wire, from broadcast and they had military representatives from all of the services and from that conference, it was decided that if you look at the media pools, you're looking at freelance reporting, that embedding was the best way to go. One to get everybody to the tip of the sphere and get honest facts from the battlefield, good or bad stories, it would come that way. I personally believe that the embedding concept is the way to go in today's world with 24/7.
SAN MIGUEL: 24/7 media coverage is what you're saying?
GRANGE: That's right.
SAN MIGUEL: We have satellite imagery of Basra before the war began and what happened from March 23rd. We're going to show that. A lot of talk about the Pentagon managing the expectations for the paramilitary that are scattered all over the Basra. The Fedayeen Saddam maybe having to re-adjust their strategy according to reports from the Pentagon.
GRANGE: I think the pressure is on the Fedayeen, and it's just not the Fedayeen, it's not just just this Gestapo type organization of Saddam's sons, it's also Iraqi special forces, there's other paramilitary in there as well. You saw this British strike go into the Baath headquarters, a surgical strike, take out one of these paramilitary forces and you get right back out again. At the same time, efforts of civil affairs, meaning water, electricity, food, medical support to win the hearts and minds. You have to do both approaches simultaneously to make this happen. It's starting to have an effect, I think, on the paramilitary forces.
SAN MIGUEL: Retired Army General David Grange, thank you for your insights. We do appreciate it.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
