Private Lynch: Media Stunt?

“The military was given information on what kind of resistance they would meet, and it sounded like a good bit of feature footage to some brass.

Phaedrus
07:24:15 PM
05/09/03

Accusing the military of staging a rescue for propaganda is bashing the troops.

Calling me an assclown is your best defense.”

“Maybe they're making an 'observation', BP...”

“How far up the chain of command do you have to go before it's kosher?

If you're saying that any questioning of the military is off-limits, you're backing the wrong gov't, it appears to me.”

“"reporters = paid professional liars" -- wrote Gordon

Guess I missed that in my Webster's.”

“Yeah, it's actually meteorologist = paid professional liars.”

“Accusing the military of staging a rescue for propaganda is bashing the troops.


Spoken like a true authoritarian.

Like I said, if democratic debate doesn't appeal to you, feel free to move somewhere with fewer civil liberties.”

“shades of wag the dog....”

“Spoken like a true authoritarian.

Like I said, if democratic debate doesn't appeal to you, feel free to move somewhere with fewer civil liberties."
Phaedrus
09:05:36 AM
05/10/03


Unsubstantiated accusations are not debate.

I know liberals such as yourself think that making false accusations and insults is debate, but facts are a key element to a legitimate debate.

You have presented no evidence that the Pentagon orchestrated a media event. There have been many wild exagerations of this story. I have not seen one that was linked back to the Pentagon.”

“Maybe they're making an 'observation', BP..."
treebeard
10:52:08 PM
05/09/03

Now that is funny!!!”

“The New York Times announced that they fired a reporter for fabricating stories about the Jessica Lynch case.

I wonder how many reporters fabricated stories, but weren't fired.”

“Jayson Blair, the reporter you cite, fabricated details and plagiarized in hundreds of stories, not just about Lynch. he's also been fired, and the NY Times is launching a huge investigation.”

“hmmm....”

“You have presented no evidence that the Pentagon orchestrated a media event. There have been many wild exagerations of this story. I have not seen one that was linked back to the Pentagon.

I merely pointed at the facts that were represented in the article and proposed an explaination, asking if it could have happened that way. If you would like to propose an alternate possibility, feel free.”

“You guys talking about that new movie 'Shaving Private Lynch'?”

“Witness how the New York Times reacted.”

“tilt that link didn't work.”

“I'm not going to paste the whole thing here (aren't you relieved); it's like 10 pages long.

If you go to the Times website, in the upper right corner you will see....


CORRECTING THE RECORD

Times Reporter Who Resigned Leaves Long Trail of Deception

Jayson Blair committed frequent acts of journalistic fraud while covering significant news events in recent months.

• Op-Ed: William Safire
• The Journalistic Deceptions
• Editors' Note

You'll have to answer a couple of questions for their market research to get in, but it's free.

Basically, they are exposing everything he did and are trying to find all of it. Don't you wish some politicians had the balls to be straightforward like that? Clinton wouldn't have been impeached and Nixon would've finished out his term.”

“The Times is handling a huge #&%!$up the best way possible - complete disclosure.”

“In a nutshell:
*U.S. military received info pertaining to whereabouts of an American POW.
*POW was reported to be in a Baghdad hospital.
*Baghdad at that time was a full-fledged war zone.
*Seein's how it was a war zone and all, the U.S military used a normal tactic: overwhelming force.

What is so complicated about that?

C'mon. "Misinformation" had been the catch word of SADum's regime. I don't for one minute fault the commanders for suspecting a setup.

I don't fault the "boots on the ground" for keeping their heads on swivels. I, too, woulda suspected EVERYONE not in Allied uniform to be an enemy until proven otherwise. Kicking doors down is acceptable in this particular situation.”

“Agreed, Gojo. I wonder about the cameramen the doctor mentioned and the alacrity with which this story was put to air along with shouts of extreme heroism on the part of our PFC Lynch in the face of the enemy.

I'd like to know if this was a media exaggeration or a military-fed lie.

Despite all bacpac's bluster and zeal to the contrary, I'd like to believe that the news media just got rumors and innuendo mixed up with fact.”

“I agree with gojo. If my daughter was in there I wouldn't care how many doors were broken. Maybe the military did embellish the story some, but then so what? Were not not talking about a massacre here or something truly harmful.

If the military does something truly harmful then by all means go for it and let em have it. But this story sounds like much a do about very little. I wonder how much of that beloved Civil War history folks go on about is embellished?

Bush's weakness is to be found in the economy not nit-picking this war. He kicked Saddam's ass. Give up the ghost. But I know that folks will continue to look for anything to pounce ....aha! See, the whole thing was wrong because the Jessie Lynch story was exxagerated!”

“Despite all bacpac's bluster and zeal to the contrary, I'd like to believe that the news media just got rumors and innuendo mixed up with fact."
Phaedrus
11:18:29 AM
05/12/03

This isn't about whether or not they should have rescued her, it's about how the military portrayed the "daring rescue" of an American who was in, according to the article, no danger. It's about the manipulation of the media by the military, it's not about whether she should have been left there. Duh."
Phaedrus
06:35:23 PM
05/09/03

Don't accuse me of blustering. You need to check your facts.”

“More bluster. Reread what was posted, think about it, and come back when you've figured it out.”

“I read what you posted. I even cut and pasted it with my comment.”

“I don't remember seeing George out there... LOLOL


Exactly, Ynami. When something goes down like that (aHem), it doesn't matter whether it's a person or an institution. They have to plow into it headlong or it will hang around their necks like the proverbial albatross.


_{(and, uh... Jessica Lynch was never anywhere near Baghdad)}”

“Oh, so taking stuff out of context if okay? Goody!

There are some people better left for dead."
bacpac
06:08:38 PM
05/09/03

How can you say something like that, bacpac!? She's a US soldier!”

“err "is okay"”

“You are one crawfishing bastard.

Your credibility is zero.”

“If my credibility with YOU were anything else, I'd be worried.”

“LMAO !!!
Great Reading !
Rush for Prez.....”

“That would, like, totally suck to have your privates lynched. Having them mobbed is fine, but lynching?”

“Yeah, sounds bad, but don't knock it til you've tried it, I guess!”

“Fox News is right now running a story rebutting the Toronto Star story about the rescue being a media stunt. The retired Colonal David Hunt is pointing out all the lies in the story. He claims that there was one contact with someone who said that they could give info on her whereabouts for $10,000. Also he claims that 10 fedayeen were killed outside of the hospital and three or four inside the hospital at the start of the raid.”

“I meant to say that the $10,000 story was in place of the claim that they drove an ambulance with Jessica, up to a Marine checkpoint to try to give her back.

I hope that the real truths come out some day because it is bizarre to have the BBC reporting this story along with the Toronto Star, that the rescue was a media stunt, and the military retirees saying that the details being reported refuting the military version are total lies. A person would have thought that they could trust the BBC among news agencies at least. On the other hand the military has to accept that people will want to question their truthfulness. There was no gunbattle with fedayeen at the hospital captured by military cameras played on TV. Does anyone even know what the official military version of the story of the rescue is, as opposed to the major news agency version?”

“The only official miltary version I have heard is that they went in and picked up Pfc. Lynch and some bodies.”

“I thought that it was a bare bones account, but I wasn't sure. The media who should publish any written materials that they received from the military, or own up to their rumor spreading.”

“I have faith that FAUX News will fluff it up appropriately.”

“oh wow aero. that made me never want to watch fox again. thank you for saving me...”

“By Rep. Dennis Kucinich
June 2, 2003

Dear Secretary Rumsfeld,


I am writing to request your assistance in resolving the controversy surrounding the rescue of Private Jessica Lynch.


In the days following Private Lynch's rescue from an Iraqi hospital by U.S. Special Forces, numerous U.S. officials described to national media outlets the circumstances surrounding this event. They portrayed Private Lynch as receiving bullet and knife wounds, experiencing mistreatment by Iraqi officials, and being spirited away amid harsh enemy fire. They reported that Private Lynch suffered amnesia and could not recall her rescue. Although U.S. officials requested anonymity, their stories were widely reported without correction or qualification by the Defense Department. Indeed, the Department appeared to confirm the accuracy of these reports, releasing for reporters an edited section of videotape taken by a military cameraman using night vision equipment. Indeed, in introducing this clip, General Vincent Brooks, the U.S. spokesman in Doha, reportedly said: "Some brave souls put their lives on the line to make this happen."(1)


More recently, however, contrary media accounts have emerged. At their core, these accounts argue that the rescue was essentially staged for a made-for-TV video. Specifically, these accounts have reported that, in fact, Private Lynch sustained no bullet or knife injuries. They have also reported that U.S. forces knew in advance of the operation that no Iraqi forces were guarding the hospital. They have reported that Iraqi medical staff treated Private Lynch humanely, even donating their own blood. They have reported that Iraqi medical staff actually tried to deliver Private Lynch in an ambulance two days earlier, but they were fired upon by U.S. forces. And they have reported that U.S. forces participating in the rescue of Private Lynch were not fired upon by Iraqi forces. Perhaps the harshest account claimed that the Pentagon's staging of this event was "one of the most stunning pieces of news management yet conceived."(2) And Private Lynch's father, Greg Lynch, told reporters that Private Lynch did not in fact suffer from amnesia. When he was asked to elaborate on the military operation that recovered his daughter, he said, "Right now we are really not supposed to talk about that subject, you know."


As you can see there is a wide gap between the facts as reported initially and the manner in which they are being reported now. As I understand the Defense Department's position, these recent accounts are "outrageous, patently false and unsupported by the facts."(3) At the same time, Defense Department officials now seem to be qualifying their earlier statements. For example, Bryan Whitman, Department of Defense spokesman, reportedly said "the U.S. military never claimed that the troops came under fire when they burst into the hospital."(4)


I believe it is time for the Department of Defense to fully disclose what happened.


First, I request that you order the public release of the unedited footage taken by the military cameraman of the military operation to recover Private Lynch. There has been a great deal of commentary on the manner in which the Department edited and aired a videotape of the rescue operation. Several media representatives have requested that the full tape be released so the American people can make an independent assessment of these conflicting claims. I see no reason for the Department to reject this request.


Second, I would like you to answer formally the following questions about the health status of Private Lynch and the military operation to recover her:


– Did U.S. forces encounter any Iraqi forces in the hospital?


– Were U.S. troops fired upon during the rescue operation? If so, please describe specifically the nature of the interchange.


– Did U.S. [forces] have any information suggesting that Iraqi forces had abandoned the hospital?


– Did Private Lynch sustain any gunshot or knife wounds?


– Did U.S. officials have any information suggesting that Iraqi medical staff were trying to deliver Private Lynch to American forces?


– Did U.S. forces at any time fire on any ambulances?


Finally, I understand the Department has ordered an investigation into the facts surrounding Private Lynch's capture by Iraqi forces. I also understand, however, that investigators were not asked to examine the circumstances surrounding Private Lynch's rescue. In light of the controversy that has arisen regarding this case, I suggest that the Pentagon's ongoing investigation also include the facts surrounding Private Lynch's rescue as well.


If you have any questions about this request, please call my Legislative Director, Jaron Bourke... I look forward to receiving your response.


Sincerely,

Dennis J. Kucinich, Ranking Minority Member Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats, and International Relations


(1) The Truth About Jessica, The Guardian, May 15, 2003

(2) ibid

(3) Pentagon Aims Guns at Lynch Reports, Los Angeles Times, May 29, 2003

(4) U.S. Rejects BBC Lynch Report, BBC, May 20, 2003”

“I heard a retired military man say that Lynch's outfit should have never been captured in the firts place. He says that a convoy the size of hers should have had no problem outgunning 2 pickup trucks full of Iraqis, regardless of whether or not they were "just" a maintenance/transport unit, that the US soldiers claimed they couldn't fire because of dirty weapons, and that if nothing else, they could have turned their deuce and half or 5 ton trucks towards the pickup trucks and run them down. According to him, the Captain should be tried for cowardice, the man apparently had no fight in him at all. The military man's position was that the army should follow more closely the Marine Corps practice of training each recruit first and foremost as a rifleman, then train them in their primary MOS. I tend to agree with him. I have lots of friends who joined the military for the educational help, and had no plans to EVER have to actually go into combat. I actually heard one say "I never expected to have to fight" on tv before the war started”

“Arm chair generals are almost as bad as arm chair liberals.

I am not surprised that Dennis Kucinich is running his Presidential campaign this way. He doesn't really have a chance anyway. His primary source is a left wing British tabloid.”

“The BBC is a tabloid?

The bush administration has this great chance to really knock this guy off his political feet, if they release the information he requested and it's just the way they said.

I'll give you 5 to 1 odds they don't.”

“The BBC report was based on the Guardian story.

Didn't you read the language of Kucinich memo? It was almost verbatum. He should be charged with plagarism.”

“I think the point is to present the idea as it has been presented in the media, to give the administration a chance to refute this tripe with facts. You wouldn't deny the Bushies a chance to clear the air with the Truth, would you, bacpac?”

“I bask in the truth. I seek the truth. You know that.

If the British tabloids are your source of truth, I am certain you and I will never agree.

I welcome an investigation.”

“Then we agree. In fact, you agree with Dennis Kucinich. We all welcome an investigation.”

“geesh phaeddy, go protest some SUV drivers er sumpthin.....”

“Uh, this is not my argument and I'll leave you guys to it, but... to call the Guardian (formerly The Manchester Guardian) a left-wing British tabloid beggars the imagination. It, along with its associated news agency and Reuters are the most respected news sources on the planet.”

“That was bacpac's take on it. I enjoy bacpac's take on things of this nature.”