The PX was out of news magazines the other day so I bought a copy of Newsweek where I ran across an article titled "Unholy Allies", the gist of which (strategically dated 26 September, 9 days after the parlimentary elections in Afghanistan) is the increasing violence and effectiveness of the Taliban fighters along with their close links to Al Queda insurgents in Iraq.
What boggles my mind about this article is that the Newsweek staff can apparently make an appointment to meet with Al Queda leadership in
Sami Yousafzai and Ron Moreau, the authors of this article, give surprising creedence to anything their Taliban contacts tell them while brushing off any explanation or response from the
I remember watching a documentary on reporters in the Vietnam war when I was in college in which a panel of journalists was given the scenario of being allowed to imbed with North Vietnamese troops and sitting in ambush of an American patrol. The question was asked of each of them "Are you a journalist first, or an American? Would you let the Americans die or would you try to warn them first." I remember being sickened when most answered that they were journalists first. Strange that they would say that as citizens of one of the very few countries that would protect them as such.
The people that were so willingly interviewed by our friends from Newsweek in September, attacked an American patrol in October. One of our soldiers lost both of his legs during the attack and subsequently died of his injuries. That means he bled to death in a dark hostile land half a world from home even after all the help his friends could give him and the best medical treatment we had available. Perhaps if Newsweek had been a little more American and a little less journalist, things might be different.
It's clear that Newsweek's intent with this article is to sow doubt and malcontent about our progress in
The Schismatics in Dante's "Inferno", those who sowed discord during their lifetime, were punished throughout eternity in the 7th circle of hell by by being cleaved nearly in two allowed to heal before the process is repeated. I would like to think that I am not a vindicative person, but someone will have to explain to me why I should not wish this punishment on the likes of Newsweek.
4 comments:
I was referred to your blog. I think I have a helpful resource that you can use for your readership. US Central Command has a website, http://www.centcom.mil, with the latest news and photos from Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. It features the “hard to find” stories from the Middle East, as well as an interesting “What extremists are saying” section. You’re welcome to use any materials you find on our site, please just include the standard attribution to CENTCOM.
You can also sign up for the weekly electronic newsletter and monthly Coalition Bulletin at http://www.centcom.mil/newsletter/newsletter-signup.asp. If you’d like me to subscribe you, just ask.
Lastly, if you could include a link to CENTCOM, that would be appreciated.
All the best,
Spc Richardson
US Central Command Public Affairs
Your feelings are entirely justified. As far as being vindictive, do you really think they give a rats behind how what they are doing endangers your life and the life of your fellow soldiers?
As far as I am oncerned the media pracitces censorship. First Amendment rights are theirs under the Constitution. However the Constitution doesn't give them the right to commit treason or guarentee them immunity for commision of crimes.
It's not a new phenomenon:
"I hate newspapermen. They come into camp and pick up their camp rumors and print them as facts. I regard them as spies, which, in truth, they are. If I killed them all there would be news from Hell before breakfast." -- William T. Sherman
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