Late Breaking Foreign Policy: News Media's Influence on Peace Operations

By Warren P. Strobel

Book Overview

The influence of the media--particularly the "CNN effect"--has dramatically changed the way foreign-policy decisions are made. But there have been few in-depth studies of how televised news reports... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1878379674
• ISBN13: 9781878379672
• Release Date: June 1997
• Publisher: United States Institute of Peace Press
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 1.15 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.2" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Push and Pull

This is a groundbreaking analysis of the interaction between the military and the media in "peacekeeping" operations overseas. Warren Strobel is an experienced journalist in such arenas, and writes knowledgeably on how his profession can affect, and be affected by, the humanitarian crises that they cover. Utilizing the major peacekeeping episodes of the mid-1990s - Somalia, Rwanda, Haiti, and Bosnia - Strobel investigates how strongly the media can affect US government decision-making processes on getting involved in such crises, and whether journalists help or hinder peacekeeping operations. (A great example of this can be seen in the photo on this book's cover, showing reporters in front of fully-armed soldiers in the middle of a battle.) Strobel finds evidence that media images of suffering can inspire the American population to demand intervention (the push), while later images of military casualties often inspire Americans to demand an immediate exit (the pull). Meanwhile, the relationship between journalists and military officials is more complex than most observers would expect, with influences working in both directions, and with the relationship ranging from adversarial to mutually beneficial. And in general, the media has a vast impact on how humanitarian crises are viewed on the world stage, by both citizens and politicians. However, the occasionally eye-opening insights uncovered by Strobel don't have as much impact as they could, because his overall empirical points are rather unclear, and he appears to continually second-guess his own theories upon uncovering unexpected evidence. Also, Strobel's writing is highly repetitive, with some direct quotes being used multiple times and similar blocks of prose being used to introduce the same points again and again. The reader must put in some effort to sift through to the fascinating (but rather inconclusive) analysis that Strobel has to offer, based on real experience and insight. [~doomsdayer520~]

A Face on Foreign Policy

Warren Strobel provides the public with a revealing look behind the developments of our nation's foreign policy. This book paints a vivid picture of how foreign policy makers are increasingly encouraged by the public to make expeditious decisions concerning the conflicts in our current global environment. This is due to the instantaneous transfer of information today that provides a climate for accelerated governmental decisions upon where our troops might land tomorrow. The nature of the media is shown to be for the better or worse as explained in Strobel's push and pull effects. Strobel also exposes the government's manipulation of the media to obtain public support for its actions. Warren Strobel does a fine job of explaining this complex world of the news media and its powerful influence.