Sunday, July 15, 2007

The Press Sights Another "Tank"

I don't think that the press as a rule knows much about military matters. The most obvious display of this lack of knowledge is their tendency to call anything big and green a "tank." It's a pet peeve of mine.

Well, a man in Australia in a "tank" has gone on a rampage destroying cell phone towers:


"The tank left a path of destruction in its wake, bringing down a number of mobile phone towers and relay sheds," New South Wales police said in a statement.

The article helpfully has a photo:



That is an M-113-based vehicle. It is not a tank. The original M-113 is an armored personnel carrier. The Australian vehicle is perhaps modified to an extent that might qualify it as an infantry fighting vehicle. I'm not sure about that. The turret isn't big enough to be a fire support vehicle. But it is definitely not a tank. And would not be even if it had a large turret with a 3" gun.

Yes, I know, the police called it a tank. But nobody in the press organization knew enough to say, no, that is not a tank.

If the fashion reporter was told by somebody that a new dress was "blue" and it was really some obscure shade of blue that all fashion designers know, the fashion reporter would know that the dress was not "blue."

But everything big and green is a tank.


And you trust them to evaluate the war in Iraq?