"I hate newspapermen. They come into camp and pick up their camp rumors and print them as facts. I regard them as spies, which, in truth, they are. If I killed them all there would be news from Hell before breakfast." -- Gen. William Tecumseh Shermanand
"It appears we have appointed our worst generals to command forces, and our most gifted and brilliant to edit newspapers! In fact, I discovered by reading newspapers that these editor/geniuses plainly saw all my strategic defects from the start, yet failed to inform me until it was too late. Accordingly, I'm readily willing to yield my command to these obviously superior intellects, and I'll, in turn, do my best for the cause by writing editorials - after the fact." -- Robert E. Lee, 1863We learn, from the most beloved Generals the nature of combat reportings and it seems as if the nature of combat reporting hasn't changed since Sherman and Lee faced each other across the lines.
Most, if not all, of the mainstream media are invested in making the war in Iraq look like a quagmire, a morass, a losing proposition. If you're reading the newspaper or listening to the network news, you are probably convinced that we're losing. The facts as I read them couldn't be further from the truth. While we have to convince the Iraqi people, and more particularly the Iraqi government to stand up and take responsibility for themselves, we still have to defeat Al-Queda and other terrorist clans. It's a hard slog, but we're winning. For a closer look at the battlefield, go see guys like Michael Yon.
At any rate, remember what Sherman and Lee said about battlefield reporting.
Hat tip to the Danes.
3 comments:
Awesome post! Thanks for the link to Michael Yon. Definitely going on my bookmark list!
WagonMaster
"If you're reading the newspaper or listening to the network news,"
Why would you want to do that?
Thank God for Michael Yon, a Warrior who reports what he sees.
Pretty simple, right? Why can't "reporters" get it right?
"While we have to convince the Iraqi people, and more particularly the Iraqi government to stand up and take responsibility for themselves..."
Stop. Before you talk about the "battlefield" understand that there is no strictly military solution to this morass which we've been in for over 4 years.
Can you PLEASE PLEASE outline a realistic scenario in which the Sadrists (who have a plurality in the Parliament, and who believe that its ok to kill the American "Occupiers") and their Mahdi army suddenly sit down and "get along" with the Sunnis and their Omar Brigades?
Can you point to a majority coalition in the Iraq congress that you have ANY faith in whatsoever? If not, then you must understand that our presence there provides these idiots with scapegoats, so they can deflect blame for their desire to NOT make peace and compromise with the other tribes and religious sects.
You've been talking about progress for years now, Paw paw. Do you see measurable progress in the essential infrastructure in Baghdad? DO you see measurable progress in the refugee crisis? Do you see measurable progress in the Iraqi leadership? In the economy? Are we about to "turn the corner" again for the thousandth time?
How much more blood and treasure are you willing to put in this, before you understand that it was a mistake, Paw Paw.
Actually, I think you really believe this project in Iraq was a mistake, but you also think it's your duty to "support the troops" by telling noble lies about how we're always winning and that there's always progress no matter what the MSM says.
Rather than break our army babysitting a bumbling Parliament that has no intention of reconciliation, I say: support the troops, bring'em home.
Post a Comment