InfoWar in Iraq: where a video is worth a division of tanks

Recently, there has been much talk about the U.S. increasing troop levels in Iraq to quell the insurgency. However, i wonder if having more troops will help turn the tide of the war in the U.S.’s favor. Why? Simply because, winning the battle for Iraqi hearts and minds is vital, and having more troops doesn’t help it. It simply reinforces any preconceptions many Iraqis may have about the occupation.

Furthermore, insurgents using simple cell-phone cameras, laptop editing programs and the Web are beating the United States in the fierce battle for Iraqi public opinion. Guerrillas have always sought alternative technologies to undermine their better-equipped enemies. What’s different now is the power and accessibility of such tools.

The consequences of losing the propaganda battle are real. “One of these videos is worth a division of tanks to those people,” says Robert Steele, a former U.S. Marine Corps intelligence officer.