[moki]

A Democrat representative, no less...

from: http://www.ajc.com/opinion/content/o...39345774896111

.....

Media's dark cloud a danger
Falsely bleak reports reduce our chances of success in Iraq

By JIM MARSHALL

On Sept. 14, I flew from Baghdad to Kuwait with Sgt. Trevor A. Blumberg from Dearborn, Mich. He was in a body bag. He'd been ambushed and killed that afternoon. Sitting in the cargo bay of a C 130E, I found myself wondering whether the news media were somehow complicit in his death.

News media reports about our progress in Iraq have been bleak since shortly after the president's premature declaration of victory. These reports contrast sharply with reports of hope and progress presented to Congress by Department of Defense representatives -- a real disconnect, Vietnam déja vu. So I went to Iraq with six other members of Congress to see for myself.

The Iraq war has predictably evolved into a guerrilla conflict similar to Vietnam. Our currently stated objectives are to establish reasonable security and foster the creation of a secular, representative government with a stable market economy that provides broad opportunity throughout Iraqi society. Attaining these objectives in Iraq would inevitably transform the Arab world and immeasurably increase our future national security.

These are goals worthy of a fight, of sacrifice, of more lives lost now to save thousands, perhaps tens or hundreds of thousands in the future. In Mosul last Monday, a colonel in the 101st Airborne put it to me quite simply: "Sir, this is worth doing." No one I spoke with said anything different. And I spoke with all ranks.

But there will be more Blumbergs killed in action, many more. So it is worth doing only if we have a reasonable chance of success. And we do, but I'm afraid the news media are hurting our chances. They are dwelling upon the mistakes, the ambushes, the soldiers killed, the wounded, the Blumbergs. Fair enough. But it is not balancing this bad news with "the rest of the story," the progress made daily, the good news. The falsely bleak picture weakens our national resolve, discourages Iraqi cooperation and emboldens our enemy.

During the conventional part of this conflict, embedded journalists reported the good, the bad and the ugly. Where are the embeds now that we are in the difficult part of the war, now that fair and balanced reporting is critically important to our chances of success? At the height of the conventional conflict, Fox News alone had 27 journalists embedded with U.S. troops (out of a total of 774 from all Western media). Today there are only 27 embedded journalists from all media combined.

Throughout Iraq, American soldiers with their typical "can do" attitude and ingenuity are engaging in thousands upon thousands of small reconstruction projects, working with Iraqi contractors and citizens. Through decentralized decision-making by unit commanders, the 101st Airborne Division alone has spent nearly $23 million in just the past few months. This sum goes a very long way in Iraq. Hundreds upon hundreds of schools are being renovated, repainted, replumbed and reroofed. Imagine the effect that has on children and their parents.

Zogby International recently released the results of an August poll showing hope and progress. My own unscientific surveys told me the same thing. With virtually no exceptions, hundreds of Iraqis enthusiastically waved back at me as I sat in the open door of a helicopter traveling between Babylon and Baghdad. And I received a similar reception as I worked my way alone, shaking hands through a large crowd of refinery workers just to see their reaction.

We may need a few credible Baghdad Bobs to undo the harm done by our media. I'm afraid it is killing our troops.

-- U.S. Rep. Jim Marshall (D-Ga.) of Macon, a Vietnam combat veteran, is a member of the House Armed Services Committee.

[BRussell]

I find that disgusting. The government starts a war and then blames the media's reporting about that war for the deaths that inevitably occur. It's hard to think of anything more anti-American than that.

And BTW, it's "Democratic representative," not "Democrat representative."

[chabig]

It's hard to think of anything more anti-American than that.

I know exactly how you feel. The media who are doing this should be ashamed to call themselves Americans.

Chris

[BlackGriffen]

Originally posted by moki:
A Democrat representative, no less...

What does the fact that the guy isn't a Republic representative have to do with anything?

BG

[BRussell]

Originally posted by chabig:
I know exactly how you feel. The media who are doing this should be ashamed to call themselves Americans.

Chris

Yeah the way they act you'd think freedom of the press was in the First Amendment or something. Sheesh.

[Zimphire]

Originally posted by BlackGriffen:
What does the fact that the guy isn't a Republic representative have to do with anything?

BG

Nothing. It's the fact he is a Democrat.

[Face Ache]

Happy talk, keep talkin' happy talk,
Talk about things you'd like to do.
You got to have a dream,
If you don't have a dream,
How you gonna have a dream come true?

ALL TOGETHER NOW!

Happy talk, keep talkin' happy talk,
Talk about things you'd like to do.
You got to have a dream,
If you don't have a dream,
How you gonna have a dream come true?

[mr. natural]

Ah yes, the good old "Nattering Nabobs of Negativity" premise.

OMG, we're gonna LOSE the WAR because of... well, don't you know, can't you see it? ::and in a hushed and barely audible tone:: The liberal media and their anti-war elitist bias.

Yesiree, my daddy is dead in Iraq because the NYTimes & Dan Rather has turned people against the troops and our president. And if they keep reporting on our boys getting killed and how hard it is, and how long it'll take, nevermind how expensive it's getting, and how we need help but can't get it, why, then we will... ::choke back tears:: ...fail. ::boo hoo, sniff, sniff:: and we can't let that happen, nosiree because then Iraq will be left in the hands of... ::gasp:: Iraqis. I mean, they might mess it up without us like Iran has since we got our butts kicked out of there, thanks to all the hostage taking reporting. ::arrgh:: We shoulda invaded them but Nightline wouldn't let us!




I hereby nominate US Rep. Jim Marshall for the "Spiro Agnew memorial Shoot the Messenger Award."

And a special mention for "kooky" should go to moki.








Unbelievable.