Activity 17, The Media in the Gulf War
Working in Saudi Arabia was not easy for the press, even in times of peace. Western reporters had difficulty obtaining permission to report from within Saudi Arabia, Syria, Iran and Iraq--all of whose governments were opposed to the basic tenets of a free press. Saudi authorities traditionally barred Western journalists to avoid contact with the local Saudi population. Saudi journalists were severely restricted--threaten with jail or death for negative statements about the government.
When Iraq invaded Kuwait there were no Western reporters in Saudi Arabia. Based upon long experience, the Saudis were reluctant to permit Western reporters into their country for any reason. In the potentially volatile context of a military confrontation with a fellow Arab nation, the Saudis were even less inclined to stir the stormy situation with the injection of American reporters.
When President George Bush ordered American forces into the Persian Gulf on August 8, 1990, reporters were not allowed to accompany them. Due to criticism from the press, a 17-member National Media Press pool was sent to Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. It arrived on August 13, two days after the first U.S. F-15s, but before General Norman Schwartzkopf himself arrived. An attempt to send a second wave of journalists was frustrated by Saudi Arabian officials. The Saudi government finally changed its position due to pressure by the U.S. government.
Pentagon restrictions prohibited reporters from disclosing sensitive military information, such as: specific numbers, movements or location of troops, aircraft, weapons; details of future military plans; intelligence collection activities; identifying information about downed aircraft or ships while search and rescue missions were underway; and information about vulnerabilities that could be used against allied forces. In general, reporters were cautioned about reporting sensitive military information that "could jeopardize operations and endanger lives."
More than 1,400 press and media technicians eventually were accredited by the U.S. military during the Gulf War. All wanted access to a press pool. Only 126 accredited journalists ever were assigned to a pool during the air war, and 250 were allowed to join combat pools.
During the early part of the air war, the pool escort system worked. No reporter could defend the premise that in a military campaign all members of the press should be accommodated in a specific location. Here was the system: first the reporters needed to receive accreditation from Pentagon; they had to get into a pool; then they depended upon the escort of a location for a story. Escorts could pave the way to broad access or could impose further obstacles; stories sent through military channels were lost or delayed. Few news outlets could afford the direct-to-satellite phones that were leased by a few major news organizations, such as The New York Times.
The rationale offered for the provision that all media pool reporters accept military escort was for the protection and safety of the pool reporter. All visits had to be approved in advance, and reporters were constantly under military escort. Reporters felt that the soldiers being interviewed would be inhibited because of the presence of a public affairs officer.
Media pool news stories, including photographs and film, were reviewed prior to their transmission. If the journalist disagreed with the review, the journalist could appeal the decision. Ultimately, the news organization had to decide whether or not to publish it. However, the process of appeal would take time, and it would be likely in the fast-moving events of the Gulf conflict, that the news would of little use to the news organization by the time the appeals would be processed.
Student Questions
Why did the Pentagon require media personnel to be accompanied by military escorts?
Why did the Pentagon prevent the press from publishing military information?
Why were reporters placed in "pools" by the military?
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