Dr Goebbels on the line

A letter in the Globe and Mail:

Talking to the Taliban

Eric Morse [Director, Communications]
Toronto

Your Saturday line story reflects an amazing naiveté about what goes on in wartime (Taliban claim victory over vote - front page, Aug. 29).

Everyone proclaims victory in war, that is a given. But can you imagine The Globe and Mail in 1944 indulging such ineffable credulity as to grant the same front-page play to Nazi propagandist Josef Goebbels as it now has to an 'unnamed Taliban spokesman' - let alone conducting an interview with him by telephone?

It is widely discussed in the Western media that the Taliban are skilled in exploiting the Western media. But do the Western media really have to help them out quite so enthusiastically?

Earlier posts:

"We Didn't Really MEAN We'd Hurt, Maim and Kill Voters"

"News From Afghanistan: Understatement-ad-Absurdum, Snake Oil and Propaganda"

Real propaganda