The following essay is an analysis of how the Iraq War leaks published by Wikileaks was reported by the media in Russia and India in-terms of the relationship both these countries share with the United States and the United Kingdom. The essay also analyses if diplomatic relations had any impact on the content of reportage.
It begins by giving a brief explanation of what is Wikileaks, then it goes on to put forward snippets of the 2003 Iraq invasion and how the event was portrayed by the media in India and Russia. Thereafter, light has been thrown on the India-UK-US and Russia-UK-US relations, finally followed by an analysis of the news coverage. While looking at the diplomatic relations, the past terms and the present scenario of the bilateral relations has also been looked upon.
For the purpose of analysis only stories appearing in newspaper and news portals are being scrutinized. Both while looking at the coverage of 2003 Iraq invasion and Iraq war leaks, a total of three news stories appearing in three different newspapers/portals has been analyzed.
Also, columns and articles penned by political analysts has been looked upon to get a wider purview of the bilateral relations of the countries.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction-
1.1 WikiLeaks: A backgrounder
2. US Invasion of Iraq in 2003:
3. News reporting of the 2003 Iraq Invasion in India and Russia:
4. Iraq War Leaks- in capsule:
5. News reporting of Iraq War Leaks in India in terms of India-UK-US diplomatic relation
5.1 India and US:
5.2 India and UK:
5.3 News Coverage
6. News reporting in Russian newspapers in terms of Russia-UK-US diplomatic relation
6.1 Russia and US
6.2 Russia and UK
6.3 News reporting
7. Conclusion
Objectives and Themes
The primary objective of this study is to examine how the Iraq War leaks, published by WikiLeaks, were reported by news media in India and Russia. The research investigates whether existing diplomatic relations between these nations and the United States or the United Kingdom influenced the journalistic tone, framing, and content of the reportage.
- Comparative analysis of media coverage in India and Russia regarding the 2003 Iraq invasion and subsequent WikiLeaks data.
- Evaluation of the impact of bilateral diplomatic ties on media independence and narrative construction.
- Investigation into the organizational background and operational transparency of WikiLeaks.
- Examination of the socio-political context of journalism in both India and Russia.
Excerpt from the Book
Iraq War Leaks- in capsule:
On 22nd October 2010, Wikileaks released apparently one of the biggest classified military leaks of war in history till date. As stated in the Wikileaks website it leaked 391,832 reports titled as ‘The Iraq War Logs’ which document the war and occupation in Iraq. The data stretches from 1st January 2004 to 31st December 2009 (except for the months of May 2004 and March 2009) as told by soldiers in the United States Army. (WikiLeaks.org, 2010).
The official Wikileaks website states the following on the content of the leaks: ‘The reports detail 109,032 deaths in Iraq, comprised of 66,081 ‘civilians’; 23,984 ‘enemy’ (those labelled as insurgents); 15,196 ‘host nation’ (Iraqi government forces) and 3,771 ‘friendly’ (coalition forces). The majority of the deaths (66,000, over 60%) of these are civilian deaths. That is 31 civilians dying every day during the six-year period. For comparison, the ‘Afghan War Diaries’, previously released by WikiLeaks, covering the same period, detail the deaths of some 20,000 people. Iraq during the same period, was five times as lethal with equivalent population size.’ (WikiLeaks, 2010).
Summary of Chapters
Introduction-: This chapter outlines the research objective, which is to analyze how the Iraq War leaks were reported by Indian and Russian media within the context of their diplomatic relations with the US and UK.
WikiLeaks: A backgrounder: This section provides an overview of the origins, goals, and operational methodologies of WikiLeaks as an online platform for whistle-blowers.
US Invasion of Iraq in 2003:: This chapter reviews the geopolitical arguments and justifications provided by the US and its allies for the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
News reporting of the 2003 Iraq Invasion in India and Russia:: This chapter examines the specific media reactions and portrayals of the 2003 Iraq invasion within Indian and Russian print media outlets.
Iraq War Leaks- in capsule:: This section provides a factual summary of the massive data leak known as 'The Iraq War Logs' released by WikiLeaks in 2010.
News reporting of Iraq War Leaks in India in terms of India-UK-US diplomatic relation: This chapter analyzes how Indian media reported on the leaks while considering the influence of India's strategic partnerships with the US and the UK.
News reporting in Russian newspapers in terms of Russia-UK-US diplomatic relation: This chapter focuses on the reporting trends in Russian media, noting the generally critical stance toward the US and UK policies and the alignment with state perspectives.
Conclusion: This final chapter synthesizes the findings, highlighting the mixed response in Indian journalism compared to the largely state-aligned, anti-US/UK coverage found in Russian media.
Keywords
WikiLeaks, Iraq War, Media Coverage, India-US Relations, Russia-US Relations, Diplomacy, Journalism, Whistle-blowing, Iraq War Logs, Geopolitics, Press Freedom, State-controlled media, War Reporting, Strategic Partnership, Julian Assange.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research study?
The study focuses on comparing how news media in India and Russia covered the 2010 Iraq War leaks published by WikiLeaks, specifically analyzing whether national diplomatic interests influenced the reporting.
What are the central themes examined in the book?
The central themes include the nature of whistle-blowing, the influence of government-media relationships on journalism, the geopolitical tensions between the US/UK and India/Russia, and the ethical considerations of publishing classified war documents.
What is the primary research question?
The research seeks to answer whether the diplomatic relations that India and Russia share with the United States and the United Kingdom had any measurable impact on the content and tone of their media reportage regarding the Iraq War leaks.
Which methodology is employed in this research?
The author uses a discourse analysis approach, examining specific news reports from newspapers and news portals in India and Russia to identify patterns, framing, and journalistic stances.
What topics are covered in the main body of the work?
The main body covers the background of WikiLeaks, the 2003 US invasion of Iraq, the specific coverage of the Iraq War logs in Indian and Russian press, and the historical context of the involved nations' diplomatic ties.
Which keywords best characterize this academic work?
Key terms include WikiLeaks, Iraq War, Media Coverage, Diplomatic Relations, Geopolitics, Press Freedom, and Information Warfare.
How does the media approach in India differ from that in Russia regarding the leaks?
The study observes that Indian media displayed a mixed, often lenient approach toward WikiLeaks, while Russian media was notably consistent in its critical stance toward US/UK policies, reflecting alignment with the state’s perspective.
What role does the Russian government play in the media coverage identified in the study?
The study suggests that because of the pro-government nature of many Russian media outlets, there is a clear tendency to package news in a way that supports state policies and provides a counter-narrative to Western perspectives.
- Quote paper
- Shamim Zakaria (Author), 2015, Coverage of Iraq War leaks by Russian & Indian Media with respect to Russia-US-UK and India-US-UK relations, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/437870
