Muninn

I wasn’t interested in some journalist getting fired. The news buzzed by me as quickly as it did when that talk-show host got thrown out of Iraq. I didn’t recognize the name and I certainly didn’t recognize his somewhat ugly face even though I’m assured by every article I have read since that this Arnett guy is someone I should know about. What can I say, I don’t watch that much TV?

Then I stumbled upon Walter Cronkite’s editorial at the New York Times. That sparked my interest. I recognized Cronkite’s name because I think I have seen him, or rather recordings and impersonations of him, in various historically set Hollywood productions.

Without knowing any details of the Arnett affair, in which the journalist gave an interview to Iraqi TV and said some disheartening things about the US military effort, the Cronkite editorial was enough to get me really interested. Here was a fascinating little piece to work with.

It began with Walter basically calling Peter a traitor…and I am always interested in traitors.
Continue reading Peter Arnett, the “Traitor”

The looting in Baghdad looks like it is finally dying down. The US forces there are now making genuine efforts in quelling the chaotic looting and killing that has ravaged the city since their entry. They have promised to send police officers, have made efforts to re-recruit local civil service, and are paying local civilians in various areas to work with an appointed US soldier. Although there will be a lot of frustration and bad memories about these first few days, it is likely that the majority of the Iraqis in the urban centers will show some degree of gratitude for increased security provided.

Regretablly, even if the US had done nothing, the looting would probably have died down in a few days anyways. Everything of much value that could be stolen is already gone. 39 of the 40 hospitals in Baghdad have been robbed of equipment with uses their robbers could have only guessed at, double-decker buses have been commandeered, embassies and government buildings stripped of even their chairs, and the National Library emptied by avid looting bibliophiles.

A professor of Political Science at Baghdad University, Dr. Ramiz said, “I believe the United States has committed an act of irresponsibility with few parallels in history, with the looting of the National Museum, the National Library and so many of the ministries. People are saying that the U.S. wanted this ? that it allowed all this to happen because it wanted the symbolism of ordinary Iraqis attacking every last token of Saddam Hussein’s power.” While his anger is understandable, we have to realize that the US didn’t want rampant and indiscriminate looting, and there are many signs they did not expect it, train for it, or otherwise sufficiently plan for it. Also, no one can deny that they are operating in small numbers in large population centers.

However, these reasons cannot be used to excuse the horrible incompetence displayed by the coalition.
Continue reading Command and Control

After programming into the wee hours of night, I woke up late this morning and turned on the TV, expecting to hear some indication of whether the war had started.

I don’t watch TV much here in Japan but when I found myself staring at CNN I was surprised. I don’t remember having CNN access here in Japan…

What I discovered was that more than half of the channels were covering the attack, which had begun with an explosion just a few minutes earlier. In the hours that followed I was beginning to get a feel for how the Japanese television media covers the war.
Continue reading Waking up to War

My friend Lars brought over two issues of Newsweek today, the Japanese and American versions of the same issue. The contents are never identical, but major articles are often translated from English to Japanese. This time, however, the contrast between the covers of the February 3rd (US) and February 5th (Japan) issues are interesting…

The title of the US issue is “Hell Bent on War: Will Attacking Saddam Really Make Us Safer” set on a background of a young soldier (American?) with perhaps a hint of anxiety in his look.

The cover of the Japanese Newsweek issue is a cartoon globe with a rather comical depiction of Bush riding (and holding the reigns of) a bomb marked with the US flag, reminescent of Dr. Strangelove. The cover line is ブッシュは世界の敵？正義を掲げるカウボーイの異常な「戦争愛」 which I guess can be translated as “Is Bush the world’s enemy? A Cowboy’s twisted love of war in the name of Justice” (leave a comment if this is off) The major cover article on “War and its consequences” in the US magazine is translated into Japanese and included in the Japanese issue with all the usual maps and military statistics, though the title of the Japanese version is translated oddly as “The Attack on Iraq cannot be Avoided”

Koizumi whipped up controversy again amongst his neighbors by visiting Yasukuni shrine last week. Even today, days after the event, it is still making news in the Chinese media (Sina) although it has dropped off the scopes of the CCP’s People’s Daily.

In Japan, NHK and Asahi, did their usual critical approach, with emphasis on the reactions of Korea and China or critical voices at home but within a few days there were plenty of articles noting the “well planned” and “strategic” timing of the visit (See Mainichi Daily News and Yomiuri articles, both English, for example) which avoided the upcoming transfers of power in Korea and China and the need to visit again during the key August 15th date.

江藤隆美 (Et� Takami or perhaps Takayoshi), an LDP right-wing politician who is famous for losing his cabinet position with the 1995 declaration that “Japan also did good things for its Korean colony” declared on the 18th that since the Russian Prime Minister visits military memorials, why is it objectionable that Japan visits Yasukuni. Besides the obvious historical fact that they aren’t paying homage to convicted war criminals, on the pragmatic end he doesn’t seem to have noticed the different diplomatic climate which Japan continues to face. Your comments are welcome…