Jessica Lynch condemns Pentagon

BBC ^ | Friday, 7 November, 2003, 18:11 GMT | BBC

[KQQL]

US woman soldier who shot to fame after being taken prisoner during the Iraq war has accused the military of using her for propaganda purposes.

A video of US commandos carrying a badly injured Private Jessica Lynch from a Nasiriya hospital was released at the height of the conflict.

But the 20-year-old criticised the release of false information about her capture by Iraqi forces.

She also said there was no reason for her rescue to be filmed.

In her first interview about what happened to her, the former prisoner-of-war told ABC television that medical reports indicated that she had been raped.

They used me as a way to symbolise all this stuff. It's wrong.

She said she had no recollection of the attack. "Even just the thinking about that, that's too painful," she told interviewer Diane Sawyer.

Miss Lynch, who was serving as an Army supply clerk, suffered broken bones and other injuries when her convoy was ambushed after taking a wrong turn near the Iraqi town of Nasiriya on 23 March.

The Pentagon initially put out the story that Private Lynch - a slight woman who was just 19 at the time - had been wounded by Iraqi gunfire but had kept fighting until her ammunition ran out.

But she told Sawyer that she was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, and that her gun had jammed during the chaos.

"I'm not about to take credit for something I didn't do," she said.

"I did not shoot - not a round, nothing. I went down praying to my knees - that's the last thing I remember."

Initial reports also suggested that Miss Lynch had been abused after she came round in the hospital. She says that again was untrue - there was no mistreatment, and one nurse used to sing to her.

She said she was grateful to the American special forces team which rescued her but, asked whether the Pentagon's subsequent portrayal of her rescue bothered her, she said: "Yes, it does. They used me as a way to symbolise all this stuff. It's wrong."

Injuries

Miss Lynch was awarded the Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Prisoner of War medals while still in hospital in Washington DC.

Months later, she is receiving treatment for her extensive injuries.

Earlier this week, it emerged that medical evidence suggested that Miss Lynch had been raped during her capture.

The assault was revealed in extracts from Miss Lynch's authorised biography - I am a Soldier, Too: The Jessica Lynch Story - to be released by publisher Alfred A Knopf on Tuesday.

[Dane]

Her rescuers are her heroes

And that is why she snubs the person who directed her rescuers to her.

[mass55th]

"How could anyone join the Armed Services,and not understand that the possibility exists that they may end up in a war situation ?"

Certainly if she'd joined up after 9/11 (and she most likely did), she had to know the possibility of ending up in the middle east somewhere was almost guaranteed.

[sandlady]

She is grateful. She humbly says she is not the hero, as does everyone who is ever called a hero. Her rescuers are her heroes.

From what I can gather from all the conflicting "stuff" flying around, I tend to agree with you.

[Dane]

She is grateful....but questions the military filming the rescue? Doesn't have the ring of sincerety, IMHO

It sounds Clintonesque, IMO.

[SSN558]

There was a soldier that during that ambush, took out a mortar nest and shot several Iraqis to save the lives of the "other POW's" that day. He received the SilverStar for his Audie Murphy type bravery. He is featured on 60 minutes tomorrow night. Now to me, this kid is a bonafide hero. And he hasn't bashed the military in order to get an interview either.

Yes, but that is because he is one of the ones that did not survive.

[HairOfTheDog]

It is a pretty minor criticism to say she wishes there hadn't been a video that propelled her into a media feeding frenzy. This is not a private coming out against a major policy decision.

[HairOfTheDog]

already answered.

[arete]

You are obviously clueless of how the spin and propaganda machine works. There isn't one gutless wonder at the pentagon who would actually endorse this fraudulent story. What a surprise! Just keep pounding the daring rescue of the attrative young female soldier from the grips of the evil-doers -- and geez, a film to boot. Now everyone is upset with Lynch cause she is foolish enough to expose the lie. Hummm

Richard W.

[Dane]

It is a pretty minor criticism to say she wishes there hadn't been a video that propelled her into a media feeding frenzy. This is not a private coming out against a major policy decision

Huh? That makes no sense.

[somemoreequalthanothers]

She is about to benefit monetarily from said media feeding frenzy. If she sincerely did not want that, she could have chosen obscurity.

[Terry Mross]

No, SHE said the vehicles were "lumbering" and couldn't keep up with the rest of the convoy. That was the explanation for why they got lost and made the wrong turn.

[Dane]

already answered

Answered how? Please direct me to the reply # on this thread.

[Eaker]

I called this ages ago here on FR and was demonized.

She deserved a Purple Heart. Nothing else.

[HairOfTheDog]

What do you mean it makes no sense. Makes sense to me.

Everyone is acting like she is speaking out against some major Pentagon decision. She wishes there wasn't a video of her. That is a criticism the Pentagon can take.

[somemoreequalthanothers]

Fun thread. Gotta go do stuff, even though the wind is about 50 mph here today.

[Right_in_Virginia]

She's 19. I wonder how much her parents have to do with all this.

It's her parents' fault? LOL!

[JoeGar]

"I did not shoot - not a round, nothing. I went down praying to my knees - that's the last thing I remember."

An Army of None!

[Terry Mross]

Miller DID survive.

As for this movie everyone keeps talking about...I think it's NBC and not CBS. And, it was done without her permission so she doesn't get paid. Now, I don't know if she didn't give them permission because they didn't pay her enough or just because she didn't want the movie made. I can't see the "didn't pay her enough" as a reason because by turning them down she got nothing.

[HairOfTheDog]

Answered directly to you, you answered me, and we had exchange on it. You can find it in your comments.

It is a side topic I am not interested in.

[Held_to_Ransom]

I am pretty disapointed with this little hollywood darling. She needs to sell a book, get ratings for the interview and movie and what better way to do it then to be indignant towards the fact that the military taped her rescue?

The lady clearly missed the boat. If only she had gone on with the war propaganda, she could have been in Hollywood now raking it in.

The nerve of her parents, teaching her to tell the truth.

While you are into it, look into what happened to Sgt York and Audie Murphy. No doubt the lady will have the same troubles all her life no matter what she does now.