Information & what to do with it?

Kia Ora,

The Wikileaks expose on information from the US military has caused some red faces, but really had some of that information been used better when it presented the view of the wars in Iraq & Afghanistan might be slightly different.

Whether the information would of made those views more favourable now, no one knows.

As I see it there are different ways you can use the information.

What I see as the US way. Deny anything happened. For many incidents in Iraq it was often denied as a US soldier never saw it & even if they did, the incident just didn't happen despite 100's & sometimes 1000's witnessing something.

In someways similar to what you get when calling NZ police communications about suspicious activity. Often those calls are based on knowing your area or experience, but nothing is done until you have satisfied their piece of paper. Known as other end itis in where one has little idea what the other is seeing or reporting.

This backfires when the opposition (in particular Al Qaeda) video it taking place & the internet allows easy posting of incidents or as has happened on Wikileaks & someone leaked to them a large amount of embarrassing information.

Some would say another way is that where you give out some of the information but twist it to your favour & that has also been used in Iraq & Afghanistan, but again it can backfire.

It is an approach the police use,but for different reasons as they need to keep some of it quiet for legal reasons.

Then you can be completely truthful. Unfortunately in a war that can get people killed & with policing it can affect your case in court.

It is more what you do with the information at the time received, but as the recently released report on US Intelligence quoted people saying. There was just too much information for them.


This means at lower levels information needs to be processed & acted on. In theory with computers etc it should be easier for all information to be feed in & updated assessments made.

But a computer doesn't have the instinct a human has based usually on experience. The Police often solve crimes based on a hunch. Security Guards do the same when dealing with crime & the military do the same on patrol & it is all based on experience & information gained on the ground.

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