CNN… a news broadcasting station has a show on called “Combat Hospital”. It follows hospital attendants, doctors and nurses through their activities in a military hospital where wounded soldiers are delivered for treatment.

I noticed this show when I sat down to take a break and watched for just a bit. A man was in the hospital, people carefully working on his wounds, and he was trying to explain to them that he had been there before and met the same doctor. It was interesting to hear the doctors talk to this patient, telling him how brave he was for protecting his country and called him a ‘real hero’ for taking a beating from the enemy.

 I find it interesting; why would a news chanel have a reality-type show based on medical care for wounded soldiers of the war? “Viewer discretion is advised as there are graphic images of war damages” – this is the disclaimer. They talked about whether people back home (watching in America) would care whether they knew their patients were insurgents or American soldiers.

 It showed a few doctors taking a break throwing a football around with each other in the street. (An all American past-time enjoyed during war.) There was a birthday party as well where a boy turned of age to drink but since drinking during active duty in war is prohibited he was given a non-alcoholic beer. All the while, people were laughing, jeering, and having a great time waiting for more patients to come. What impression of war is this program trying to promote?

Shortly after, someone rushed in carrying a young civilian girl who was not breathing. In their assessment of her, it was decided that she had been shot through her ear out the other ear. It was her 14 year old brother who accidentally shot her. They showed him frantically bent over, holding his head, rocking while waiting out in the waiting room. The girl had no chance of survival while her mother read the Koran out there praying. It was showing the urgency these American medical professionals took in trying to save this Iraqi civilian girl.

Is everything as it seems at face value? Why document this and show it to Americans on an American news station?

Check out the site at cnn.com/combathospital. Be warned some of the images are very graphic.

I’m thinking there’s an agenda and a target audience for this show. What do you think?  

And, on another somewhat related note, here is the link to an army wife’s blog. Check out the animated art on the right hand side of her blog spot. This is a modern version of propaganda on her website: “Home is where the army sends us,” “Be Safe, Do it with a Soldier,” and “I Love a man in Bdu’s”. Interesting culture.