Tom Ricks's Inbox

Were the 2006 midterm elections an example of "mass hysteria"? That seems to be the argument made by Capt. William Ault in a recent issue of the Army's official Armor magazine. How could "the undisputed military power in the world" be losing a war against a bunch of lightly armed insurgents, he asks. His answer: The media did it.

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The media assists insurgent forces by continually maintaining pressure on the supporting government and military establishment. . . . This battlefield is not new. It has gained popularity because it has continually worked against stronger forces. The eventual withdrawal of forces from Vietnam, Beirut, Somalia, and a host of other locations was from an active public opposition, not a decisive military defeat. Erosion of public support through a constant bombardment of media outlets that portray negativity induces a type of mass hysteria in the population that eventually leads to the vocal, and sometimes violent, opposition to the military forces being deployed.

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Tom Ricks is The Post's military correspondent. This feature aims to give readers a snapshot of the conversations about Iraq, Afghanistan and other matters that play out in Ricks's e-mail inbox. Have an interesting document? Send it to TheInbox@washpost.com