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Terrorists play our media like a fiddle.

Al-Qaeda et al can't fight us military to military. Our forces constantly smash them in the battle field. They know that they can't win against us by trading fire.

But that doesn't stop them from fighting us in other areas. They may not have a complex command and control center to observe what's going on. Our media serves as their alternative.

Getting the West out of the Middle East is one of their objectives. Wearing down America's will to fight is one means for them to accomplish that. The leadership may want to continue the fight. Keep wearing the people out, and sooner or later they'll pressure the government to pull the troops out.

Like what happened in Vietnam.

The general that lead the North Vietnamese admitted that we won the battles, and the war. They were ready to surrender. But public dissent, partly fueled by improper media perspective, gave them hope. They hung on knowing that it was a matter of time before this dissent pressured the administration to seek an out.

That ploy worked, and the terrorists know this.

They carry out a series of bombing attacks right when the East Coast's media comes online. They watch the news, and monitor it for reports on our attitudes. Polls showing support and lack of support for the war? A big item on their agenda.

Carry out terror attack, watch news, watch support for the war go down, and repeat the cycle. Movement towards something they also want constitutes progress in their eyes. Forcing a party out of power via continued terror campaign constitutes victory to them.

They know that our media reports don't put things into proper perspective. Our media tends to emphasize the negatives while trivializing the positives. This favors the terrorists and allows them to play the media like a violin.

The news that they're getting is that we're slowly losing the will to fight. Project that out and you'd see a repeat of what happened in Vietnam-a scenario where we won the battles but lost the war because we lost the will to fight.

One side effect is that people living in the front lines see this, and protect their lives and interests. Even a slight hint that we'd redeploy makes it hard for many to help us. They remember what happened the last time the US hinted it'll help to the end, but failed to deliver. Mass graves testify to that event's aftermath.

The media should put a proper perspective on things when reporting about terrorist acts around the world. Give people a complete picture of what's going on instead of feeding bits and pieces in a bid to sway public opinion.

As viewers, we should read multiple news sources. Talk to people that have served in the front lines, and read books about terrorism.

We should also beware that what we say could be used against us. Dissent is healthy, it's a right. But only when it's based on all the facts, a complete perspective of what's going on, and accompanies a realistic recommendation. One that doesn't match what the terrorists want us to do.

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