Not News Unless It's About Us

The instructor tells the soldier, "You are in the Bronx. A black van is stopping in front of you. Three African-Americans are getting out and they are insulting your mother in the worst ways ... Act."

The soldier fires his machine gun several times and yells an obscenity several times (...). The instructor then tells the soldier to curse even louder.

No, it's not what - or should I say who - you think:

German army in new racism row

A video showing a German army instructor telling one of his soldiers to envision African-Americans in the Bronx while firing his machine gun was broadcast Saturday on national television.

The video, coming after scandals involving photos of German soldiers posing with skulls in Afghanistan and the abuse of recruits by instructors, seemed likely to raise more questions about training practices in Germany's conscript army.

Found at Davids Medienkritik, who adds:

Hmm... It's a bit early to evaluate the extent of the German media's reporting on the story. I wouldn't be surprised if it doesn't make much of splash.

Wrong ingredients, you know.

Let's try a change of venue.

U.S. army in new racism row

A video showing a U.S. army instructor telling one of his soldiers to envision Arabs in Baghdad while firing his machine gun was broadcast Saturday on national television.

The video, coming after scandals involving photos of U.S. soldiers abusing prisoners in the Abu Ghraib prison and in Guantanamo, seemed likely to raise more questions about training practices in America's all-volunteer army.

Now - HERE we have a story!!!

So many aspects to this story aside from the obvious lack of media attention on either side of the pond unless it's about America or American Soldiers.

For example, is the German military instructor racist, or anti-American? Why else would he be using the image of Americans, black or otherwise, to fire up his soldiers?

Or is that simply the result of the misguided impression many Europeans have that American cities are seething with racial tension and swarming with gun-toting criminals?

Another interesting aspect, to which David alludes, is CNN's apparently contradictory opinions about conscript vs. volunteer armies. Not sure how often we've heard their derogatory coverage about our all-vounteer armed forces, but in this piece they make a pointed reference to Germany's conscript army.

I suppose you would be safe in assuming that CNN and the rest of the US and German MSM aren't big fans of armies at all. But their abolishment would sure be hell on ratings, now wouldn't it?