AP Iraq Reporter:"That's not my job"- to report good news

[igloo]

One Marine's words

Nov 25, 2005

by Mona Charen ( bio | archive | contact )

Email to a friend Print this page Text size: A A I don't know if the war in Iraq is ultimately unwinnable, but what I do know makes me skeptical of those who say so.

I do know that since Vietnam, liberals have viewed every exercise of American military power (with the exception of those undertaken by Bill Clinton) as preludes to disaster. The very first question Ronald Reagan was asked at his first presidential press conference concerned El Salvador. The question: Did he think it was going to turn into another Vietnam? Democrats invoked Vietnam with every other sentence during the long and nasty controversy about aiding the resistance in Nicaragua. More recently, just days into the Afghanistan war, The New York Times ran a front-page lament calling that conflict a new "quagmire."

Liberals seem always to believe that America will lose its wars, and when it doesn't, that it should.

It is obviously deeply painful to contemplate the more than 2,000 American dead, and many others gravely injured in Iraq. And charities like Fisher House (www.fisherhouse.org) welcome concrete demonstrations of Americans' concern for military families. But one does not sense that members of the military share the belief so widespread in the press and Congress that the Iraq war is going very badly and that the original decision to fight was a mistake.

One Marine, Sgt. Todd Bowers, who did two tours in Iraq, described the attitude of many press types. "They didn't want to talk to us." Why? I asked. "Because we were gung-ho for the mission." Bowers, who was saved from grievous injury when a bullet lodged in the sight of his rifle (a sight his father had purchased for him), is chary about the press.

In his first tour, he noticed that members of the press were reluctant to photograph Iraqis laughing, giving the thumbs up sign, or cheering. Yet Bowers saw plenty that would have made fine snapshots. In Baghdad, Al Kut and Al-Nasiriyah, Bowers reported no signs of anti-American feeling at all among Iraqis.

Fallujah, of course, was different, as the city was a hotbed of terrorism, and the battle of Fallujah was one of the fiercest engagements of the war. During the battle, Bowers found himself sharing a ride with an embedded reporter for the AP. He was asked what he thought of the destruction. Bowers responded that it was "Incredible, overwhelming. But it definitely had to be done." He also stressed that because the enemy had fought so dirty, tough calls had to be made. Later, he saw himself quoted in newspapers around the country to the effect that the destruction was "overwhelming" as if he could not cope. He had also made some anodyne remarks about rebuilding the damaged areas of the city, and responded "Where to begin?" when asked about the plans. He was speaking of the water treatment plants, medical facilities, and schools American forces were about to help build, but his comments were offered as evidence of the futility of the situation -- the very opposite of this eager Marine's intent.

There was plenty of progress to report, if the press had been interested. When the battle of Fallujah was over, the Marines set up a humanitarian relief station in an abandoned amusement park. Together with Iraqis locally hired and trained for the purpose and with an assist from the Iraqi ministry of the interior, they distributed rice, flour, medical supplies, baby formula, and other necessities to thousands of Iraqis. For six weeks, Bowers reports, the distribution went beautifully, "like a well-oiled machine." Not worth a story, apparently. Only when something went wrong did the press see something worth reporting. A small group of Iraqis were turned away from the food distribution point, though they had been waiting in line for hours. They were given vouchers and told they could come to the front of the line the next morning when supplies would be replenished. These few unhappy souls were then besieged by press types eager to tell their story.

At the same site, the Marines had repaired an old Ferris wheel. The motor was dead, but when two Marines pushed and pulled by hand they could get the thing turning to give rides to the children of the Iraqi employees. They did so for hours on end. A photographer from a large American media company watched impassively. "Why don't you take a picture of this?" demanded one Marine. The photographer snorted, "That's not my job."

Mona Charen is a syndicated columnist and political analyst living in the Washington, D.C., area.

[drlogic]

They're not fooling anyone.........

AP, REUTERS.........SAME SHIT....

shit in, shit out!

[destruction]

It's not the governments business telling the press what they can report. Freedom of the press is a wonderful thing but unfortunately, that's too good for criminally insane pro censorship republican extremists who hate freedom, therefore hate America.

Republicans aren't Americans. Republicans hate America.

[destruction]

shit in, shit out!

Is that how your mother gave birth to you?

[igloo]

It's not the governments business telling the press what they can report. Freedom of the press is a wonderful thing but unfortunately, that's too good for criminally insane pro censorship republican extremists who hate freedom, therefore hate America.

Republicans aren't Americans. Republicans hate America.

Flawless stupidity. At least you are good for something social defect

[drlogic]

Is that how your mother gave birth to you?

Now, now DESTRUCTION......plagiarism is crime, son!

Don't B steal'n my lines,,,,you FOHK'N snake in the grass!!

You know yo' mammy SHAT you! And I called you out on it too!

Also, the "you wear a helmet and don't even play football" line was first posted by me too!

Stick to the sheepboy and goatfucker lines.

[destruction]

Flawless stupidity. At least you are good for something social defect

At least you're admitting you're a fascist nazi.

[igloo]

At least you're admitting you're a fascist nazi.

Defect,

You do not need to continually prove your mental deficiencies. You have provided overwhelming evidence, more so than is necessary. So please, take a break, ask Mommy to take you to Toys'R'Us for a new coloring book, and go away.

[drlogic]

Igloo,,

Stright up........There's no way destruction is this man in his late 40's...NO F'ING WAY BRO!

His posts are more consistent w/ that of a teenage child of a 40 year old. Don't ya' think?

I don't know any adult passed 40 who's even remotely close this character, do you?

Destruction sure is a gem!

[igloo]

Igloo,,

Stright up........There's no way destruction is this man in his late 40's...NO F'ING WAY BRO!

His posts are more consistent w/ that of a teenage child of a 40 year old. Don't ya' think?

I don't know any adult passed 40 who's even remotely close this character, do you?

Destruction sure is a gem!

Destruction is one lost thing...

Anyway, back to this original thread, it is good to see even Dems now saying that the media is not giving the American people the full picture in Iraq.....as more and more Iraq veterans come home, and voice their displeasure on how this war is being reported (as they have been), hopefully the media will live up to their responsibility as objective reporters, and give the entire picture, not just doom and gloom, and headlines that further their agenda's.....

And of course, I still blame the Bush communication team, who from the very get go has done a poor job of articulating the broader, more complex reasons for the war, and has done a horrific job of communiation management during the war......

As Biden said on Meet The Press, Bush should be giving weekly updates to the American people on the progress of the war, similar to what was done in WWII...I could not agree more......instead Bush left himself open for his domestic political enemies to attack him, and let the lies and bullshit rhetoric become "truths".....awful job.

[drlogic]

Can't disagree one bit! Aweful job of relaying the realities. By not giving daily briefing as Gen Norman Schwarzkopf did during the Gulf war and as was done at the begining of this war in Iraq, Bush left himself open to his critics. The bad things are ALWAYS easier to believe. The Bush admin made a bad move in deciding to let it go unchallenged.

As for the demz and repz on the fence, that's just pathetic. There's no middle ground on this Iraq issue (in my view). You're either invested in Americas success or it's defeat. Success in Iraq means catastrophic implosion for most of the demz and some repz in D.C.

Mistakes during a war are not unique, rather the reality. Failed tactics do not equate to mission failure for anyone w/ an ounce of common sense as far as war is concerned. The mission is to win. Struggling in a fight/battle does not mean losing the war.

The almost giddy attitude by some who eagerly rush to prove UBL and his "paper tiger" reference right rather than determination to succeed is offensive. Especially given the plethora of success which the critics either bury, ignore, mis-respresent or dismantle. The good news greatly outweighs the bad but you have to dig deep to learn it. Inflating the negative is nothing new, but I do agree that more speeches like Bush's last one must be expanded upon.

I agree w/ the pro-active approach to the war on terror, but it needs to be implemented both abroad and domestically. Abroad via intel, diplomacy and war (if needed). At home, by pounding the successes along w/ the stuggles. Doing so would leave the critics even farther out on their island of defeatism.

[Felix_Leiter]

i think destruction is mursa

[drlogic]

i think destruction is mursa

lol...Don't think so,,,maybe they're cousins.....

I think Obby knows Mursa, so I doubt it.....But I hear ya'!

[igloo]

Can't disagree one bit! Aweful job of relaying the realities. By not giving daily briefing as Gen Norman Schwarzkopf did during the Gulf war and as was done at the begining of this war in Iraq, Bush left himself open to his critics. The bad things are ALWAYS easier to believe. The Bush admin made a bad move in deciding to let it go unchallenged.

As for the demz and repz on the fence, that's just pathetic. There's no middle ground on this Iraq issue (in my view). You're either invested in Americas success or it's defeat. Success in Iraq means catastrophic implosion for most of the demz and some repz in D.C.

Mistakes during a war are not unique, rather the reality. Failed tactics do not equate to mission failure for anyone w/ an ounce of common sense as far as war is concerned. The mission is to win. Struggling in a fight/battle does not mean losing the war.

The almost giddy attitude by some who eagerly rush to prove UBL and his "paper tiger" reference right rather than determination to succeed is offensive. Especially given the plethora of success which the critics either bury, ignore, mis-respresent or dismantle. The good news greatly outweighs the bad but you have to dig deep to learn it. Inflating the negative is nothing new, but I do agree that more speeches like Bush's last one must be expanded upon.

I agree w/ the pro-active approach to the war on terror, but it needs to be implemented both abroad and domestically. Abroad via intel, diplomacy and war (if needed). At home, by pounding the successes along w/ the stuggles. Doing so would leave the critics even farther out on their island of defeatism.

[destruction]

Defect,

I know you are but what am I?