Comments on: CJR’s Errant Dart

By: Michael

Michael — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:30:36 +0000

Ricks told Fareed Zakaria in a recent Newsweek, "Why not do the Gen. Petraeus plan [counter-insurgency] for the major population centers and the VP Biden plan [counterterrorism] for the rest of the country?" He also said regarding the deaths of nine Americans in Wanat in 2008, "Why were we in Wanat in the first place?" "Why are we plunging our fist into a hornet's nest..."? Some of the 34 provinces are like walking through the Old Testament...almost Stone Age with the mud huts like something out of prehistory. One Afghan woman out there was terrified by the first truck she ever saw.

By: medianalyst

medianalyst — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 08:20:38 +0000

I agree with Mr. McIntyre in general, but her point that the depiction of Col. Gentile changes between the two books is interesting, especially the charge that both are based on his observations in 2006. And especially considering that Col. Gentile has been a very harsh critic of COIN. I would like to hear from Mr. Ricks on the point specifically. Much of the rest of the article reads like a hit job, though.

By: Mark Laity

Mark Laity — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 21:42:06 +0000

As a former specialist correspondent the CJR article amuses me for rehearsing yet again a tired old argument about knowing too much. Specialists have often been accused by generalist journalists about getting too close to the people they cover and becoming too soft on them. It always struck me that there was never the same concern about the reverse and more common issue, which is general reporters with only a superficial knowledge of a topic doing a ‘quick and dirty’ hit on a story to get a big headline. I also noted that the criticism mostly came from commentators with strong biases of their own.

Let’s be clear, specialist correspondents often are not as hard on their subjects as generalists, but for the entirely honourable reason that the more you know about something the more you tend to see the complexities and dilemmas, but that leads to seeing shades of grey rather than the blacks and whites which make for more spectacular but simplistic journalism.

By: villagesmitty

villagesmitty — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 14:22:50 +0000

It’s a shame that gaining enough experience to provide context and perspective to a very complex news beat is being equated with “being too familiar.” I’m certain the “reviewers” have no such experience or perspective with which to pass such a judgement.

By: primetime

primetime — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 13:44:30 +0000

As someone trained as both a journalist and a “useless government bureaucrat TV flak”, and so has feet in both camps, I agree with Jamie’s assessment of Tara’s article. It appalls me to have anyone who has not spent time with the troops like Ricks has–and McIntyre–to use that canard (sorry Jamie, I like that word too much to not use it!) about ‘being too close’. Did people think that Roger Peterson was too close to report well in Vietnam? After all, when he was wounded in the field he ‘allowed’ the medics to treat him…Was Don North too close when he was the only reporter covering the US Embassy during the Tet attack? For that matter, was Jamie too close to the Pentagon on 9/11 to report the facts?

If reporters do not spend time in the field, they cannot report responsibly. Period.

I have disagreed with Ricks and Burns of NYT and Jamie on stories more than once…but I respect their abilities and their morality for their story too much to not comment about CJR whining.

cheers,

By: Josh

Josh — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 02:06:22 +0000

Does Ricks’ position at the Center for New American Security impact your view Jamie? Especially in light of CNAS’ inside track to Pentagon authority, Michèle Flournoy for example…

By: Bar Johnson

Bar Johnson — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 01:57:28 +0000

I haven't seen the article, but I know Tom is an extraordinary reporter. I also know Tara and she talked to me about his reporting in her research for the article. What's it take to be an expert on a topic? About 10,000 hours of experience, or so academic studies say. Tom's got that experience and his perspective is exhaustively researched. I like Tara's contrary perspective a lot because it makes me think about things, but I don't think she shares that level of experience. Let the criticism come from reporters who do share that experience -- there's plenty of them out there who've lived with troops and through hard times in Iraq and Afghanistan. Don't know if Tara is right or wrong, I'd just like to see the journalists who live it weigh in. (BTW, I'm a Soldier, in case that's not apparent from my comments.)

By: Cate

Cate — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 01:55:39 +0000

Jamie, good points all… Cate