Media Has Blood On Its' Hands, Iraq GI Tells Rep.King

Newsmax.com ^ | October 29, 2003 | Newsmax.com

[Lady In Blue]

Reprinted from NewsMax.com

Wednesday Oct. 29, 2003; 12:12 a.m. EST

Media Has Blood on its Hands, Iraq GI Tells Rep. King

Rep. Peter King, R-NY, delivered a stark message on Tuesday from an unnamed U.S. military officer now stationed in Baghdad who believes negative press coverage of the U.S. war effort has cost American soldiers their lives.

While flying back to the U.S. aboard a military transport, King told nationally syndicated radio host Sean Hannity via satellite phone, "I promised an American colonel yesterday, an Army colonel, that [I'd relay his message]: 'There's blood on the hands of the American media.'"

"He's lost men because of the terrible reporting and it's just creating a terrible atmosphere," King said the Army colonel told him.

"The troops have tremendous morale. But unfortunately the terrorists are encouraged and the Iraqi people are being dissuaded from cooperating with the American forces because of the terrible coverage back here," King said.

The unnamed GI, who King said had two graduate degrees, shared his disturbing assessment as the two flew by helicopter from the Baghdad airport to the Al Rashid hotel.

Paraphrasing the Army colonel's words, the New York Republican said, "I just want you to know that there's blood on the hands of the American media; that my men and women are going to die because of them."

The GI's message continued, "We are winning this war and the only way we can lose this is if the American people lose their nerve and that's because of what's going on in the American media."

King said he concurred with the Army colonel's complaint, saying, "What I saw is totally different from what the American media is reporting."

Noting that he was in Baghdad during the wave of terrorist attacks this weekend, King said that, "in spite of all of that, life is virtually normal in Baghdad."

"What the media doesn't show is that the rest of Baghdad is traffic jams, markets open . . . you would have thought you were in midtown Manhattan," the New York Republican contended.

"Life is so different when you're there from the way it's being portrayed in the media."

Editor's note:
Former CBS reporter Bernard Goldberg makes more stunning revelations about Dan Rather - Click Here Now!

Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:

Media Bias
Saddam Hussein/Iraq

[El Gato]

The VietCong in the tunnels had a dearth of satelite dishes

Even if they'd had them, there were no satellite broadcasts for them to listen to or watch. :) They did have radios and could most likely pick up commercial shortwave broadcasts from around the world, where greatly exhagerated reports of "anti-war" activity in the US were undoubtably to be found. Some of those would have been replays of US radio and TV broadcasts.

However the real target of the dizinformatzia coming out of the media is precisely the will of the people of the United States, just as it was in the late 60s and early 70s.

[windchime]

Bump!

[Hildy]

One thing the left has right...it is just like Vietnam.

[Gritty]

"I just want you to know that there's blood on the hands of the American media; that my men and women are going to die because of them."

... and the Democrat politicians. Don't forget the Democrat politicians.

It's not that we have forgotten the lessons of Vietnam. It's just that the Liberals are determined to repeat them!

[WaterDragon]

That link about Bernard Goldberg and Dan Rather doesn't work..for me. Sure sounds intriguing!

I'm glad to hear that Rep. King and Hannity are getting the word to the public.

Robert Kaplan wrote a book not too long ago, I think it was published just before 9-11, and he said that in the 'next war' it would be with primitive, loosely-confederated terrorists, AND that what would undermine a President defending America would be the LIBERAL MEDIA.

He said the media consider themselves the fourth arm of government and would demand to make policy, and that the only way to wage war successfully would be to KEEP THE MEDIA OUT OF THE LOOP, PERIOD!

Well, I'd say he's exactly right. And Rep. King's words prove it.

I have family fighting in Iraq, and friends, and children of friends. It infuriates me that the liberal media put these people at needless risk of death and injury!

[Dubya]

BUMP

[TEXOKIE]

I was listening to the Sean Hannity show yesterday when Pete King called in. He was in a military aircraft on his way home from visiting Iraq. King conveyed to the listening audience the message that the colonel gave him while the two of them were flying in a helicopter in Iraq. King is probably holding the identity of the colonel confidential, so there would be no link to him available.

[PISANO]

The mainstream media is PRAYING for our war on terror to have the same result as Vietnam. I have despised the media since the late 60's and NOT ONE THING has changed in the 35+ years since. They still are ANTI-AMERICAN at their core.

[MeekOneGOP]

[Mr. Silverback]

I didn't know Pete King had this in him, but I'm kind of ashamed that I was surprised. Defending the Toon's sexual behavior is one thing, covering up media complicity in a lerger body count is entirely another.

Kick butt, Congressman. those boys need all the help they can get.

[prairiebreeze]

Thanks for posting this. I'm putting it to good use in many emails to news media and will start in on Congresscritters etc.

Prairie

[nuconvert]

"Iraqi people are being dissuaded from cooperating with the American forces because of the terrible coverage back here," King said"
"What the media doesn't show is that the rest of Baghdad is traffic jams, markets open . . . you would have thought you were in midtown Manhattan," the New York Republican contended.

I have NEVER seen pictures on TV of Traffic jams and Open Markets. It's despicable that the media hides this.

[dixiechick2000]

"Michael Barone calls it "old media"

I like that. ;o)

[PhilDragoo]

Tom Daschle concludes historic friendship pact with Saddam Hussein.

[MinuteGal]

A third-hand report from the congressman is better than fabricated reports from the media, LOL.

The press would crucify this colonel if his name would be revealed. He'd get the same treatment the liberal media and the 'Rats are giving the general who told the truth about Islam the other day.

Leni

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Almost missed your ping. Freepmail me, please.

It never occurred to me to question this statement for a few reasons (none of which excuse the fact that I didn't question this statement, lol):

1) the troops have been making similar statements throughout the war,
2) Rep. King said it live yesterday - on Sean Hannity's radio show, I think(?) - and he certainly knows the political risk of attacking the press,
3)you will never hear an officer accuse the press so brazenly - in person, in public. (I think it's against policy).

CENTCOM let me know that they don't (won't?) compete with the press. SOD Rumsfeld spends at least a few minutes reassuring the troops every townhall meeting (in response to the troops who are upset at the press) that the American people 'have a good center of gravity' and will find the truth.

(I'll do some research)

The United States Military vs. the Media: Constitutional Friction (Long)

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Thank you, TEX. That'll teach me to respond to a post without reading the whole thread.

Nah, probably not. (^;

[ForGod'sSake]

Thanks fer the ping Meek. A screen capture of all three network newscasts produced amazingly similar dialogue...

Hiyer bert.

FGS

[ForGod'sSake]

Nailed 'em you did.

FGS

[GOPJ]

bump