What Others Say: John Zimmerman - TV ad’s pitch falls flat with this veteran

02/23/2006

This advertisement is just slick packaging for another troubled product.

John Zimmerman
Star ribune
Last update: February 20, 2006 – 6:05 PM

Though I’m tempted to be outraged by a commercial by the Washington, D.C.-based Progress for America Voter Fund (PFAVP) that uses testimonials by three veterans to push the idea that Iraq is the central front in the war on terror, in the end I realize that it is just slick packaging for a troubled product. These commercials tell a careful tale about the situation in Iraq, relying on questionable claims, inflammatory but untrue statements, and in the end disregard essential facts regarding our situation in Iraq.

“You’d never know it from the news reports, but our enemy in Iraq is Al-Qaida.” This statement from the commercial is inflammatory and just plain wrong. A quick search of mainstream media results in repeated, open mentioning of Al-Qaida in Iraq. Even though clearly false, this statement has a hidden message: Trust me, I’m the only one giving you the truth.

“The media only reports the bad news.” There are many stories in the media of reconstruction projects, and that the situation in northern Iraq is quite stable and prosperous. Wrong again, but a favorite stereotype. Same message: Trust me, I’m the only one giving you the truth.

“American troops are making real progress in Iraq.” The important facts left out in the commercial are what percentage of our tax dollars is going for armed guards and mortars and what percentage is going toward bricks and mortar. We, the American people, continue to get conflicting reports from our own government about how much of our money has been spent in Iraq and what the results are.

“Where do you want to fight the terrorists? We want to fight them in Iraq.” The “keep them in Iraq” theory ignores basic principles of terrorism, principles that I learned as an enlisted soldier and again as an officer. Even doubling our troop levels in Iraq will not stop a group of motivated individuals from striking here in America. Every dollar spent in Iraq is one less dollar spent here in America preventing the next 9/11 or preparing for its results.

The group behind these commercials, the multimillion-dollar company Progress for America, has an interesting quote on its website: “On September the 11th, 2001, we found that problems originating in a failed and oppressive state 7,000 miles away could bring murder and destruction to our country.” Either they are talking about Afghanistan, where the terrorists trained, or the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where 15 of the 19 9/11 hijackers were born and raised. But you won’t hear about either of these countries in the commercial, because this would raise doubt about why we are in Iraq and what we are doing there. You might realize that every dollar spent in Iraq is one less dollar spent in Afghanistan, and every soldier in Iraq is one less in Afghanistan. There is not one word in this slick commercial about the country in which the 9/11 hijackers planned and prepared for the attack on America.

America is the central front in the War on Terror, Iraq is not. This commercial is just another attempt at slick packaging for a troubled product. As an American, I’m insulted by Progress for America. As a veteran, I’m disappointed that other veterans would allow themselves to be exploited in this manner without full disclosure of the facts. As an officer, I expect higher standards from my colleagues and better leadership. And as an American, I’m not buying their product. In the next election, I will look for new ideas and honest, realistic leadership.

John Zimmerman, Minneapolis, is a veteran of enlisted and commissioned service in the U.S. Army and the U.S. Air Force.