COMMENTARY (fiction)
War as Theatrics --
May 15, 2003
War as Theatrics
Put on a good show. The actors are cheap. Budget unlimited. We have the means to give the public the best entertainment. The critics are irrelevant -- Anyway, they aren't put onstage unless they make a good story.
Here's the plot: Rogue nation gives America some grief. America don't take criticism from punk dictators. President goads them until they commit some unpardonable crime, like blowing up an American embassy, take the bombers and a few no-accounts with them, but 1 or 2 American citizens with them. Intelligence reveals a link to 9/11.
Details vary at this point, but it comes down to presidential tough talk. President harangues Congress for "support." Congress -- on its way to becoming "irrelevant," just like UN, because it won't go over to administration's way of thinking without a fight -- gives the President approval for what he wants to do. A few rogue-state sympathizers in Congress hesitate; they get flamed. World objects, but a handful of "willing" states are bribed into approving on the promise of booty. Once the men (and women) are near the front, only the disloyal can fail to show "support" for our men (and women) who have put their lives on the line for America.
Lots of juicy stories come out of this. Embedded reporters get the story, such as, interviews with America's men (and women) just before and after a fight.... A GI saves an "enemy" 4-year old from a fire... Tanks roll all over enemy terrain. Villagers rush out waving American flags, kiss America's liberating troops... Photos of heroic young woman in uniform, looking stupified at completing basic training, show up on tv and front pages all over America, asking what has happened to her... Enemy soldiers run for it, desert ranks, plunder banks, loot museums, harrass an American GI -- their crimes are added to the "war crimes" attributed to the "enemy" regime... Jubilant troops engage a group of civilians to help them pull down the statue of the rogue state dictator... The stories will keep American media humming with movie and book plots for a generation....
Oppositions crumble, withdraw their criticism. "Left" is in disarray. Democrats argue among themselves about best tactic, can't get it together, end up on same course as Republicans only they can do it better....
Arms contractors are jubilant. Hollywood makes contracts for the stories. Defense contractors make big bucks at "rebuilding" the bombed out "enemy" country. Pentagon rejoices that years of hard work and planning has at last been put to task.
Television advertising rates skyrocket. News anchors become front line reporters. Talk show hosts become news anchors. Generals give their "analysis" to talk show hosts.
Republicans unconquerable...
Allies are rewarded for their "willing" collaboration. Some get contracts for new American bases; some get membership in EU, NATO; some get "free trade" treaties. Some just take the money.
Americans get tax breaks.
How shall we present this? Is it tragedy? There was no noble leader to fall. Is it comedy? It wasn't funny. The triumph was a lot like a demonstration sports event, where the host team clobbers a local high school team who just agreed to the display for the sake of playing with the champions. Do we provide a sequel? Or just extend the season? Do we plan the sequels on the basis of Arbitron ratings or just play it until the other networks come up with a better series? Do the "competitive" networks have to have different versions? Or can they all just run the same sequences with different news anchors?
Does Hollywood have the "rights" to fictionalize this show? Or do they have to get Pentagon approval so they can get "technical" assistance?
Entertainment Division becomes an office at the Defense Department. Membership classified.
Entertainment has never had so many new choices. Television drama has never done so well. But there are so many issues to sort out before the profitability of this performance can be fully realized. So much to do. So many questions.
Wait for breaking news...
fiction