Posted on 11/08/2003 6:48:09 AM PST by 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.
What-cha-talkin-about?
Didn't you hear about "The Reagans"? If it's not true, Hollywood will simply make it up.
You see, in the movie she will mow down 50 Iraqis by going from dead Iraqi to dead Iraqi to get a fresh AK-47. She will kill the last Iraqi by shoving a Pork Patty MRE down his trachea.
Once she is at Walter Reed, the movie will show a conversation between Bush and Rumsfeld where they decide to order that amnesia drugs be administered to her because having a female combat hero would undermine the Patriarchy which oppresses women in America.
Actually, IMO, she is talking more like Babs Streisand. You know gotta have the color coordinated microphones and all. Sheesh this was a rescue, do you think diva Jessica could not think about herself for a moment and think that the video could be used to help future rescues.
Oh I forgot it is all about her. Sheesh it is not like she was caught picking her nose and eating her booger.
For good reason, her actions(snubbing the Iraqi doctor) make her look like the next Babs Streisand.
Because he has a financial interest in the number of books that sell.
Actually, I never bought the story, and from Jessica's subsequent actions(snubbing the Iraqi and such) my dollars never will.
She agreed to two days of interviews with Diane Sawyer, a book deal and a movie because she wanted to be "left alone"?
Tell that to the Iraqi doctor who helped save her life and save her. Looks like she has no problem chewing him up with ungrateful spite.
These kids out of high school get sold the education opportunities and the chance to do positive things. They probably should have a clue when they're given lessons on how to use a gun. But, gosh, they're just so darn young.
I say this from my son's experience. He went to West Point knowing full well that it was to serve his nation, develop excellence, get an unbelievable education, and, oh yes, fight wars. I'm not sure the "fight wars" part was real until his on-Army post training after Sophomore year.
He was okay with that part, because he was always very serious about knowing how to defend himself and take care of himself. But these 18 year old girls just out of high school? I wonder how many really do think of their obligation in that light.
Give me one example from a named pentagon spokeman. I'll wait right here....
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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
Let the record show that your answer is clearly double-talk.
If "there isn't one gutless wonder at the pentagon" who actually went on record to hype the Lynch rescue then how can you say that the pentagon is hyping the the Lynch rescue.
You are obviously clueless of how the statist-globalist media spin and propaganda machine works.
Uh this is the thread. I can't help it if Jessica thinks that she can be the next Babs and diss people who saved her and think there will be no consequences.
How? Please elucidate.
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