YouTube Wars - Freedom's Watch vs. IVAW. Which is Real Grassroots, Which is a Front Group?

Submitted by John Stauber on

What's the difference between a slick pro-war front group exploiting Iraq veterans to pour gasoline on the fire in Iraq, and a grassroots group of Iraq veterans leading the battle at home to end Bush's war of occupation?

Watch these YouTube videos and decide for yourself.

The latest addition to Bush's pro-war lobby is Freedom's Watch, and they have a slick and deceptive video on YouTube that features a veteran who lost legs in Iraq invoking the image of 9/11 to urge more money for the war. Click on this link to view Freedom's Watch on YouTube.

Then, watch this video of Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) addressing bloggers at the recent Yearly Kos convention, urging them to talk to vets and get out the real story of the Iraq war. Click on this link to watch IVAW on YouTube.

Ari Fleischer, Bush's former PR flack who helped dupe America into attacking Iraq, heads Freedom's Watch. Fleischer and Bush both still promulgate the Big Lie that Iraq was involved with the 9/11 attacks, a completely discredited falsehood that millions of Americans believe because it is insinuated over and over by the pro-war lobby including Freedom's Watch. Fleischer and his financial backers will spend tens of millions of dollars in the weeks ahead on their pro-war PR and lobby campaign.

IVAW is a growing, grassroots group of hundreds of Iraq veterans and active soldiers located in 43 states and on active duty in Iraq. They sleep on floors, travel at their own expense and are primarily dedicated volunteers, American soldiers working for peace.

IVAW or Freedom's Watch - which is real grassroots, and which is slick pro-war propaganda, a front group, Memorex? You decide.

Astroturf
Internet
Front Groups
Terrorism
Politics
Propaganda
War / Peace

MORE LIKE THIS:

Comments

j. sharp replied on

Supporting our troops? Or is this simply supporting the GOP? If this "new" group was truly interested in supporting the troops they would push for better medical care, testing and benefits here at home for returning troops. We should be ashamed that our administration refuses to fully support our wounded veterans, refuses to provide adequate testing for DU contamination and brain injury, allows the Pentagon to interfere with the diagnosis of these vets. It is a national shame that veterans returning from Iraq have to sue the United States government to get these benefits. This is a GOP ad campaign that pushes for extended tours, less time at home between tours at the expense of the strength of our military and at the expense of the mental health of our troops. Will this same group rally around the troops suffering from PTSD, or will they do as this administration does - give them a pill and send them right back into action? Unless Ari and friends back it up with actual support for our military and demand this administration to do right by our troops.. it's all just PR.. tacky PR at the expense of our veterans. Like I said, a national shame.

Mutternich replied on

John Stewart interviewed Lt. Col. John Nagl, one of the the authors of the Army's new Counterinsurgency Field Manual. http://www.comedycentral.com/motherload/player.jhtml?ml_video=92011&ml_collection=&ml_gateway=&ml_gateway_id=&ml_comedian=&ml_runtime=&ml_context=show&ml_origin_url=%2F&ml_playlist=&lnk=&is_large=true (Sorry for the commercial.) Most of the talk was about that manual, but the point of the appearance was clearly to tell us that we're "making progress" in Iraq, and we're fighting like good guys fight. I believe we've just glimpsed the limit of Stewart's leash there at Viacom. He usually gets in at least one good bite on every pro-war guest, but he handled Nagl with the utmost care and solicitude. I thought I'd tuned in to CNN or Fox. New buzzword: "Sunni awakening."

MsMia replied on

This is definitely getting the wrong message ou there. We don't support the war, isn't that clear? On Globalgrind.com I found similar links that were really interesting about different campaigns about furthering and or ending the war in Iraq, really nice to see the contrasts there. This does not mean that the lives and courage of the many soldiers who fought or are currently fighting in the war are seen in vain, not at all. They have a strength to do their thing in battle, however I don't agree with the reasoning and politics behind it all. The mindset of a soldier seems to be, in my opinion, "Support my country, support USA." This is a good solider mentality to have, given ou agree with the situation. Soldiers are soldiers, bottom-line, I guess they are not really meant to think about the underlying politics. They perform the given duties at hand. This does not make it right however. I don't support this campaign and believe it is poisoning the minds of people.