A thing of nightmares

Michelle Malkin is not in a good mood. I can't tell you how much that bothers me...no, wait--I can; it bothers me not at all.

Her latest bad mood has been caused by CNN--again. CNN aired a video made by the terrorists that showed how enemy snipers hunt down and execute American soldiers. They blocked out the moment of death and they erased anything that made the soldiers recognizable. They aired this tape to demonstrate how well trained and effective the enemy is. They aired this tape to show the American people the true nature of what is going on in Iraq. They aired this tape because their job is to show the news and in a time of war, the war is, in fact, the news.

As most of you know, my oldest is autistic and his area of "special interest" is World War II. Last night, hoping to earn some "Mom-is-cool" points (to make up for the ones I lost this weekend when I was "Bad-Mom") we watched a documentary on the battle of Iwo Jima. They used old newsreel footage as well as interviews with soldiers who were there.

Do you know how much less we show on the news now?

If you are not familiar with the footage of WWII, think back to the footage of Vietnam.

Graphic. Violent. Bloody. Death. Our soldiers. Their soldiers. It all played in movie theatres before the feature and then, later on when the medium changed, on TV every night.

From the beginning of this war, I have wondered why we see no footage of battles, or raids. Why we get this sanitized version of the War in Iraq. I simply don't understand it. We aren't allowed to see the pictures of the caskets at Dover--yes, I know--that is Bill Clinton's fault--never mind what is going on in Iraq and Afghanistan.

I think it's fear. Fear that if you show it, the American people will lose their stomach and will for the fight. It's not a good enough reason. If the cause is just and our leaders are doing their jobs, the American people will rise to the occasion; they will find the strength to fight. And if they don't, that is their choice. No one should get to make that decision for them. I am tired of this administration, and my government in general, deciding that I don't need all the information; that they know better. I don't like the attitude on Hillary Clinton when it comes to raising my children and I don't like it on this administration when it comes to me knowing what is going on--anywhere.

The conservatives are guilty of political correctness of the worst kind. The kind where they censor information and obfuscate the truth in the name of "choosing America." I choose America. I am on America's side. I love my country and think it is the best in the world in spite of the fact that we make mistakes and fumble the ball occasionally. I am not afraid of the unvarnished truth.

Michelle Malkin in a bad mood, however, is a thing of nightmares.

Chris

Comments

[Lee]

I caught her ranting, (yeah! ranting), on 'The O'Reilly Factor Monday night, claiming that CNN's CEO, Ted Turner, "...wants the U.S. to lose the Iraq War...". even Bull O['Reilly was aghast at her outrageous comments and interrupted her.
I think she is close to 'Neo-Con Meltdown'.

[BFB]

Part of the reason some folks get upset about showing footage like that on TV is that it is disrespectful to the guy's families that get killed. I believe most people know there are some grueling images in war. Do we have to actually see it to believe that it is happening? Would you like to be watching the news and see something like that on TV and know that your son, daughter, husband..etc is there and that maybe that looked like them just as the picture fades out. Besides the sentimental issue of showing Americans getting killed, it is very useful to the enemy. They consider it a great success if an Amercian is showed getting killed because they know it will effect the people in the U.S. Do you know there is/was a Palace/Monument under construction here for the defeat of the Americans from the first Gulf War? Did I miss something? No it is all about perception to the folks here, not about the truth. That is why showing footage like that on TV hurts the efforts of the U.S./Coalition troops. It hurts the troops here because then they have to worry about getting in touch with someone back home immediately to tell them they are ok. I am not out in the streets very often like some troops are here but I know my parents worry every time someone dies in Baghdad is on the news. I can't imagine what it would be like for them if I was out on those missions. Empathy please look it up. I am not defending this woman, I don't even know who she is. I do know how we feel here in Baghdad about those images being shown.

[Karen]

Good comment post, BFB. Well done.

[Lisa]

BFB...

On a mission or not, I still worry about you.

;o)

[HC]

Why is anything shows the truth about the Iraq War is "disrespectful to the guy's families that get killed." or "not honoring his brothers choice of joining and dying for his country as Pat may have wanted him to."

Give me a break. Using our troops in a "War of Choice" on a "Lie" is disrepectful to our troops.

[Chris]

with all due respect, BFB, the American people need to toughen up and they need to know the truth. Again, I don't want anyone--not this President, not the next and specifically not Hillary telling me what i need to see and know--or what I should see. Truth is truth and if the mission and cause are just then we will stand in the face of whatever it is. Hiding it or censoring it or sugar coating it don't help and it's wrong.

[USMC Steve]

Yes, people I am indeed back. Let me toss some things out to you to see whether or not it makes you actually think, or if like Lee, you will spout mindless anti bush crap and nonsense.

First of all, ALL wars are wars of choice. No one can make you fight for anything. Whether or not you do is a matter of choice. And a good many "Americans" think nothing is worth fighting or dying for, until it is directly affecting them personally and directly. Other than that they could give a shit less about anyone else.

Just how does showing Americans getting sniped give you any idea at all about how effective they are, or what type of operations they are conducting, or anything like that at all? All it shows you is some sensationalistic footage that got CNN more viewers and publicity, and that is all it did. It contributed not a bit to telling any significant story about what is going on in Iraq right now.

A major reason you don't get to see the war full time on tv is that you people aren't the only ones who watch it. Think the enemy might be able to figure out tactics and techniques we use if they got to see how rifle squads maneuver, or how armor is used in support of infantry operations in urban terrain, or how tactical air support is used? And would any of you even have a clue as to what you were seeing in the first place? I really hope I am not the only one to tumble to this possibility. I am quite sure it would not bother Lee and some of the other "the war is evil and a lie and a mistake and immoral and a quagmire" crowd a bit, but to real people, seeing Marines or soldiers in close contact, and seeing some of them hit or killed while engaged, bothers the shit out of them. (To hell with those of you who it doesn't, you are scumbags.) You will not get any further real appreciation of what they are having to suffer through unless you go through it yourself. It ain't possible to feel another person's suffering unless you have done it yourself.
One thing I do agree with up there is that the American people need to grow some stones, one way or another. Those who oppose the Republican cabal and Bushitlerchimpmonkey (or whatever you liberals get throbbers from calling the president) need to stand up and do something direct or shut the fuck up for the moral cowards you are. Know why you don't though? Because you would might have to suffer or be inconvenienced for doing so. Thus you have no real beliefs, you are simply moral cowards who snivel because you know that is the most you can muster up without having to take responsibility for your actions and possibly be held accountable for them. And those on the fence, pull your heads out of your asses and realize first of all just what the stakes are in all this, then MAKE A DAMNED DECISION WHERE YOU STAND AND ACT ON IT. Or you too need to shut the fuck up, because you are as much a part of the problem as the libs are.

Chris, the president and the republicans have absolutely no control over what you see in the news. If they did, you might actually get the whole story. What you see is controlled by the heads of the news networks. That is why you never see any footage of US or Coalition troops doing anything good, or successful. It does not meet the "bleed to lead" concept of doom and gloom they want to get viewership. CNN ran with this crap solely because it would get more viewership for them than for the other networks. It achieved nothing more than that. Anyone who cannot see that this was just another in an endless series of crappy media stunt needs to get some oxygen and a serious clue.

[SSG Rob]

HC, Cris, with oyur attitude we are sure to lose this war. Think a little about history. In WW2, very little "truth" was allowed to be reported, all service members mail was censored, no real information got to the American people unless uncle sam OK'd it. In War, the first casualty is truth. You nor the American people really need to know anything about the truth. All you should be concerned with is are we winning and will we win.

Informatoion I feel does need to be controlled. I don't want nor need to know all the gory details thank you very much. If we win I will be able to watch them over and over again on the military channel in a few years. If we lose, which we might, who knows what we will all be watching and controlled by whom?

[SSG Rob]

I agree totally with USMC Steve.

[HC]

BFB

I can tell that one of the babes here cares for you. So that must mean you are OK. A friend of the babes is a friend of mine. Stay safe and keep your head down.

I would say thanks for your service, but I think that is kinda hollow words from a guy who never serviced.

[Chris]

USMC STEVE IS BACK! Yea!! Yippie!! Welcome back and your wrong...:0) embeds have to agree to show no bodies...ours or theres per the Pentagon babe...and as always I respectfully disagree--yea!! you're back!!

[Lisa]

My God USMC Steve... where the hell have you been????? Babe... I thought you had my back???

;o)

Happy you're home honey.

[Rick]

I could be wrong, but...

There certainly is a lot of graphic footage available about WWII, and it was shot by a combination of newsreel photographers and combat photographers (i.e., members of the military assigned to record the events). I'm sure that in the course of filming, a lot of graphic footage was recorded.

But I'm not so sure it was shown to the public. If memory serves, the first time a news photo showing dead Americans was released, it was late '43...and it caused quite a stir. (I can visualize the picture, dead GIs face down in the sand on the beach of some Pacific island, I just don't recall the specifics.)

I think what we're seeing now is footage that was shot at the time, but not released until many years afterwards, and it causes a misconception about what people saw at the time.

As for Vietnam, there was more graphic footage, for sure...but even so there were limits. A classic, even though it doesn't involve any Americans, is this photo which appeared on the front pages of newspapers and news magazines.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Nguyen.jpg

But there is also rather graphic color film that was shot at that execution, and I believe the footage did not get seen on TV or by the general public until the release of the documentary Hearts and Minds (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071604/)in 1974.

So, while I concur that the event is news and that CNN is in the business of reporting news...it is also noteworthy that American journalists have had a tradition and history of shielding some of the more graphic images of death up until relatively recent times.

As a result, one must wonder if the motivation to air this report was influenced by a desire for ratings, a desire to have a political impact, or both.

[Lee]

Grow up children!!!

War is nasty business..It IS NOT AS VIDEO GAME!
IT IS NOT 'DUNGEONS & DRAGONS'.
IT IS NOT PAC-MAN!
THEY CHOP OFF PE0PLES' HEADS IN WAR!
THEY SHOOT PEOPLE IN THEIR PRIVATE PARTS IN WAR!
THEY RAPE PEOPLE IN WAR!
THEY RAPE AND KILL CHILDREN IN WAR!
THEY RAPE AND KILL ANIMALS IN WAR!
THEY DESTROY BEAUTIFUL CITIES IN WAR!
THEY DETROY MANKIND'S BEAUTIFUL ART, SCULPTURES, AND LITERATURE IN WAR!
THEY POLLUTE THE ENVIRONMENT, TGHE WORST BEING NUCLEAR FALLOUT IN WAR!
THEY LEAVE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE DISFIGURED, AND AMPUTATED IN WAR!
THEY ENSLAVE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE AS ARESULT OF WAR!
...
THEN THE DISEASE AND FAMINE SH*T, AND PESTOLENCE FOLLOW THAT WAR CRAP!

A LOT OF RICH PEOPLE MAKE BILLIONS OF $$$'s BECAUSE OF WAR!

IF YOU SEE HOW REALLY NASTY AND BLOODY IT IS...MAYBE YOU HAWKS WILL BECOME.....civilized eventually?
....And try to avoid WAGING WAR except as a last freakin' resort...in self-defense ONLY.

[Lee]

SO YOU CAN'T SANITIZE IT BY HIDING IT FROM THE VIEW OF THE PEOPLE....
iN FACT EVERY BLOODY DEATH SHOULD BE BROADCAST!

[Lee]

I almost apologize for the 'caps'....

[Chris Sears]

USMC Steve! (who I used to call (with love) my "USA Steve",

Feels good to read you. Calms me (to hear expressed what I have spinning around in my head) and heals me and re-inspires me.

[SSG Rob]

Lee,
Your rant proves to the lurkers what a fool you are. If it weren't for war my ancestors might still be owning yours. Or you would be speaking japanese on the west coast and german on the east coast. Grow up, do your research, read history. What a knucklehead.

[Lee]

Arigato!