The government was provided with accounts of significant importance and relevance related to the Sadam Hussein and his government. The media secretly photographed different installations that were alleged by the Security Council and United States as sites for nuclear weaponry and plants. The United States submitted all those references quoted by the media, and tried to convince the international community for conducting military operations against Iraqi regime. After the military attack was launched by the United States with the support of United Kingdom, Australia and other European States, it was media that provided the foreign military troops with sufficient geographical, social and political knowledge of the region. The media acted as an interface between the Iraqi people and the foreign troops. However it was the same media which brought into highlight the brutalities committed by the soldiers of United States against the prisoners of war captivated during the military attacks in Abu Ghraib prisons. The American government reacted sharply over the footages released by the press showing American soldiers harassing and torturing the prisoners sexually, from there onwards the government modified its foreign policy and military strategy. Firstly the government of United States apologized for those indecent and insane practices, and public apology was made with the help of media. It was media which tried to build trust between the Iraqi people and the American government. In this episode the media was found playing dual roles, initially the same media created secret investigations to monitor the victimization of the prisoners, and later the same media was trying to assist the government in offering and publicizing their public apology. In actual media was playing its part without any vital interest except for bringing the truth to the reality. This vital episode although infuriated the Iraqi people, and from there onwards the series of violence continued, the media disturbed the equilibrium, and later tried to recover it by offering support to the government.

AL JAZEERA AND U.S.-AFGHANISTAN OPERATION

The United States launched military attacks against Afghanistan after the attacks on World Trade Center. The attacks were carried by Al-Qaeda with the support of Taliban regime, the ruling authority of Afghanistan. The American government was provided with sufficient evidences that established strong link between the involvement of the Al Qaeda in carrying forward the attacks, and the Taliban government support in this regard. The Media carried forward research and survey to analyze the Afghan society,...

The media exchanged its conclusion with the government of the United States, 'Taliban are the forcible occupants of the country, and Afghan people are not truly with them' (Media Observers). This later assisted the American government for carrying forward their objective of removing the Taliban regime, and suppressing the terrorist activities being conducted by the Al-Qaeda in the name of 'Jihad' (Islamic practice of fighting).
The proper research and public survey carried by the media was of great help for the United States and its allies, the Afghan government crumbled within weeks, and people were found rejoicing the occasion. The American forces and NATO did not experience any major debacle, and the people supported the takeover. However the military expedition didn't end, and is still being fought. Media has played key role in acting as mediator between the American government and the Al Qaeda network, in many of the instances both the parties have come across each other through the active involvement of media correspondents and local landlords. Many pro-Al Qaeda individuals have negotiated and expressed their willingness to assist the United States forces in their struggle against the terrorist network. The country has shaped its foreign policy in accordance with the information and services offered by the media. The international Arab channel Al-Jazeera is regarded as has provided sufficient resource for the United States forces to combat the terrorist network, by locating their hideouts and military camps.

References

United States. Congress. House. Committee on Foreign Affairs., Impact of Television on U.S. Foreign Policy: Hearing Before the Committee on Foreign Affairs.

W. Lance Bennett, David L. Paletz., Taken by Storm: The Media, Public Opinion, and U.S. Foreign Policy in the Gulf War.

William Yandell Elliott., United States Foreign Policy: Its Organization and Control.

R.C. Nelson, E. Donald Briggs, Walter C. Soderlund., Mass Media and Foreign Policy: Post-Cold War Crises in the Caribbean.

Library of Congress. Foreign Affairs and National Defense Division, United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Foreign Relations., United States Foreign Policy Objectives and Overseas Military Installations.

Paul R. Pillar., Terrorism and U.S. Foreign Policy.

David P. Forsythe., Human Rights and Comparative Foreign Policy.

Stewart Patrick, Shepard Forman., Multilateralism and U.S. Foreign Policy: Ambivalent Engagement.