Comments on: The Jessica Lynch story: Manufactured by the Pentagon, or by the press?

By: Douglas Westerman

Douglas Westerman — Wed, 02 May 2007 03:54:23 +0000

What people need to do is write en masse to the Washington Post and other publications, asking for a small monetary refund on the issue of the paper or papers who ran the initial false Jessica Lynch story. If you subscribe to a publication and pay money, you expect them to check their facts. If they don’t bother, then those of us who read the story deserve our money back. If you go to MacDonalds and order a hamburger, then you get a bun with pickle, ketchup, etc, but no meet patty, you are entitled to a refund. If a newspaper publishes a false story and does not explicitly recant it, but lets it just slide out of public awareness, we need to hold them monetarily accountable. If 10,000 subscribers wrote in and asked for a refund of $2.30, threatening small claims or class action, it would be a painful hassle for the paper to reply. This is how we should treat the media whe they lie.

By: Lorica

Lorica — Sun, 29 Apr 2007 14:27:03 +0000

Let’s face it, it isn’t like the News Media hasn’t been caught making up stories before. Let’s talk about New Orleans. How many dead were in the Superdome?? Wasn’t the News Media saying 600?? But in all reality it was 6, and 2 of those bodies had been pulled in from the outside. How many instances of rape and gang violence?? If I remember right the answer was none. But the News Media had you believe that it was rampant. Yet somehow it was all Bush’s fault. Just like this, you can’t convince some folk that the News Media is just full of BS or BDS you decide. – Lorica

By: Baklava

Baklava — Sun, 29 Apr 2007 05:46:33 +0000

GWR, He would have them be as negligent as himself and just say anything….

Laziness and negligence are obstacles in the path to truth.

Typing more words does not mean you aren’t lazy.

By: Lorica

Lorica — Sat, 28 Apr 2007 17:25:02 +0000

GWR the only answer to that question is put the news media under the boot heel of the military. Unless the Pentagon oks a story, that story should not find it’s way to the public. Since the news media is in rebellion to common sense thought they will never believe what the military says, much like folk like Tom. – Lorica

By: Great White Rat

Great White Rat — Sat, 28 Apr 2007 17:20:44 +0000

tom rails against the military-industrial complex yet again:

It is the DOD that controls the message. They chose not to correct false impressions that the negligent press ran with, because it served their purpose.

So exactly what would you have them say when reporters ask questions? ST provided several examples above, and in every case, they said they could not confirm the story as reported. They couldn’t say yes or no, as they didn’t have the information at that point. So tell us, exactly what answer would have satisfied you?

By: tom

tom — Sat, 28 Apr 2007 16:20:45 +0000

Baklava apparently didn’t never stumbled accross any information about the pentagon- aka Dept of Defense -in his many trips to the library. (Glad you finally found the library after wandering for 40 years in the wilderness of liberalism).

It is the DOD that controls the message. They chose not to correct false impressions that the negligent press ran with, because it served their purpose. I’m sure you were among those proud Americans choking back patriotic tears upon hearing the (false) Lynch “capture” and subsequent “rescue” stories.

By: Baklava

Baklava — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 16:08:53 +0000

tom is callously negligent with his judgmentalism on the “pentagon” (is that one person – and they at the war zone?).

How can people in the pentagon correct something when they weren’t THERE?

They didn’t know the facts and according to ST’s post the Pentagon cautioned the news media in going with the story as the story was unverifiable.

The media as usual runs with false stories on every account. Global warming, supposed CUTS in budgets, whatever the story you can believe the story is probably FALSE as I’ve seen since converting from liberalism back in 1991. I used to drink the cool aid until I went to the library that year 3 times a week for a year and found out what IS.

By: Bob Leibowitz

Bob Leibowitz — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 14:14:51 +0000

Very nice job.

– Bob

By: Richard Lowry

Richard Lowry — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 12:05:23 +0000

Now that we have clarified that it was the media that propagated a false story about Jessica Lynch, read what really happened to Jessica and the 507th Maintenance Company:

By: tom

tom — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 03:08:04 +0000

The media, of course, over-hyped the Lynch story – no big surprise here. However, the pentagon didn’t exactly do much to correct the mischarecterizations of the event that were made by unnamed “US Officials” that the WaPo qouted. The Pentagon is as culpable as the media here.

“The Pentagon never released an account of what happened to Lynch because it didn’t have an account” ..
This from Brian Whitman, who was the number two at the Pentagon at the time. He was also was the chief strategist (propagandist) who designed the whole media management of this war, specifically the use of embedded reporters.

By: Drewsmom

Drewsmom — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 01:24:09 +0000

I watched some her testimony and she seemed critical of the military and I feel sure she had help from Mr.
Nostralis’s staff. I agree with NC Cop and Bachbone.
I feel that she deserves respect but I can also see her hiding in the Hunvee, I know I’d be hiding but I have always believed women should NOT be in combat.
Thats just my opinion.
Tillman was a great man and I think his family is utterly pissed at the military for the cover-up and the msm is feeding their anger, which they are loving to do on a daily basis. I wish they could find some peace and closure but nostralis and company ain’t gonna let that happen cuz it helps make President Bush look bad. God, I just hate that man.

By: NC Cop

NC Cop — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 23:39:25 +0000

I sure hate to do this, as I respect what Lynch has gone through, but while I was over there many of the soldiers, including some SF guys, say that the real story about the ambush hasn’t come out because it’s not very flattering of Lynch.

According to them she was huddled in her Humvee, while her buddies were outside fighting and dying. She never fired a shot because she was hiding inside the vehicle. They also said that even if she tried to fire, it probably wouldn’t have done any good because her weapon was so choked with dirt and sand from neglect.

Again, I respect her for her service to her country, but if that is true, that might explain why the real story has not come out.

By: Bachbone

Bachbone — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 21:36:41 +0000

Ms. Lynch deserves admiration and respect for serving the country, the horrendous trauma she suffered in Iraq, and trying to get her life back in order despite a pretty serious, lingering, disabling condition. That said, my impression, strictly from the several short portions of interviews on TV that I’ve seen, is she is somewhat naive and not the sharpest tack in the box. That obviously is subjective, not a definitive diagnosis. I have no idea where her political sentiments lie, but she could have declined to appear before Congress. I don’t believe she was subpoened. Does the fact that she chose to appear mean she agrees with Democrat goals? I’d like to know if she wrote her own statement or was “aided” by Rep Waxman’s staff. So many unknown’s exist re: her statement and appearance that it’s difficult to judge whether her personal politics were involved. But we know Democrat politics were involved to the hilt.

By: Sensible Mom

Sensible Mom — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 20:35:49 +0000

Media Darlings And The Fog Of War

The night before last my husband and I saw the video of Jessica Lynch’s testimony and my first question was wondering to whom she was referring when she said, I didn’t go down fighting like a Rambo killing machine …

By: Leslie

Leslie — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 17:54:47 +0000

Having seen radiant, intelligent Jessica Lynch interviewed on CNN yesterday morning, my first thought was how much she reminded me of Alice among the pack of cards. Hysteria all around her; she remains serene.

She’ll always be a hero to me. As will, of course, Pat Tillman. Anyone who says otherwise is stuck on stupid.