Steve Tatham Livres

Witnessing the media campaign leading up to the Iraq invasion, Steve Tatham reveals the stark differences in how American and British military planners approached media relations, particularly with Arab journalists. His firsthand account critiques the U.S. strategy, highlighting the neglect of Arab media, especially Al-Jazeera, amidst rising casualties. Tatham argues that the focus on a compliant domestic press led to a skewed perception of the conflict, raising questions about media bias and the implications of President Bush's divisive rhetoric on global journalism.

In 2002-3 Steve Tatham worked alongside the American military in the Gulf coordinating the huge media offensive that preceded and accompanied the invasion of Iraq. He witnessed how, in advance of the invasion, US armed forces devoted enormous effort to winning over public opinion in the Arab world through a concerted hearts and minds campaign. However, as fighting intensified, Tatham, the Royal Navys spokesman on the Coalition operation, gradually became aware of how badly the Arab media were treated, in particular the personnel of Al-Jazeera satellite TV, whose Baghdad offices were attacked by tank fire. In this gripping and disturbing narrative, Tatham relentlessly exposes the doubts and divisions that plagued the Coalitions media war.

The author explains how sophisticated social science research and behavioral profiling can be used to warn us of impeding issues and how that information might be used by senior strategy makers as a tool for testing and refining strategy. He makes a compelling case that the science of Target Audience Analysis (TAA) is now so well advanced that it must become a key component of future strategic decisionmaking. The author views social media as just another communication conduit, and sees this as a continuum of wrong activities being undertaken. In Iraq and Afghanistan, he saw how big public relations and marketing companies cost the U.S. taxpayer millions of dollars in ultimately failed communication and propaganda campaigns. Social media, he argues, has become yet another blank checkbook for companies who rely on creative energy rather than empirical understanding to produce communications campaigns. Instead, he argues for far greater resource in TAA and greater understanding by federal agencies of what is and is not possible or desirable in their communication efforts. To this end, he looks in particular at U.S. Agency for International Development relief work in Pakistan and argues that the communication objectives set at the start of the projects are almost unattainable, even naive in their presumptions.

Offering an insider's perspective, this book delves into the complex interplay between truth and myth in Information Operations. It explores the strategies and tactics used in the digital age, revealing how information is manipulated and disseminated. By examining real-world examples and case studies, the author uncovers the realities behind the narratives, providing readers with a deeper understanding of the implications for society and politics. This insightful analysis challenges preconceived notions and highlights the importance of critical thinking in navigating information landscapes.