When I was serving in Iraq during the surge, I distinctly remember watching hand-wringing from back home as commentators wondered if media reluctance to show American casualties (including video of Americans killed and wounded in the field) was “sheltering the public from the reality of war.”
Well, yes, we are sheltered from the reality of war — but not in the way you might think. Of course we’re careful about showing American casualties (as we should be; our casualty notification process shouldn’t begin with CNN), but the public is mainly sheltered from understanding the nature and actions of our enemy. Over the weekend, video of a Taliban adultery execution “sparked outrage” around the world yet many who’ve served downrange are quite familiar with videos far, far worse. In fact, the terrorist film (complete with up-close beheadings and jihadists shrieking “Allahu akbar” like they’re cheering a soccer goal) is a staple of many jihadist safe houses.
In other words, our jihadist enemy is pure evil, and Americans are constantly shielded from that fact.
Should Americans be Shielded from the Evils of our Enemy? | War on Terror, American Center for Law and Justice ACLJ
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