Posted on 10/29/2004 11:22:41 AM PDT by crushkerry
The Pentagon Press Conference was, in our opinion, a bit of a mixed bag, as we state below, but on the whole a net "plus".
The Not So Good
On the substantive issue of whether or not the US destroyed the HMX and RDX at Al Kaka (we don't want to spell it right) it cleared up absolutely nothing. From a fact perspective the Major simply said we destroyed 250 tons of explosives, but could not say whether or not the HMX or the RDX were a part of that 250 Tons. He also said he did not see any of the IAEA seals, such that were on the videotape, and whether it was the right facility or not, the video of the seals is hard evidence. It was not a very good job at making things clear, but given the time constraints, that's understandable.
There is no doubt that this event was politically motivated by the Pentagon, no matter what they say. But they're in a tough spot. John Kerry and the MSM are lying so much about this that they had to say something, and given the date of the election, had to do it quick. The press conference looked and felt like it was "rushed" and "incomplete", both of which are true in the technical sense. When you suddenly have to drop everything and focus on what may be 1/100,000 of the total explosives you've destroyed it's going to be hard to get exact answers.
Unfortunately Larry Dirita's comments appeared very political, and he had to admit several times he didn't know all the facts. Of course to do so would have taken weeks, if not months, but the image will be "We don't know". This is a problem because the MSM will jump on this as politically motivated and further clouding the issue. The one thing Dirita did, but not often enough (and he should have done it from the outset) is make it very explicit that the terminology in April 2003 for this HMX and RDX was "plastic explosives". The MSM has got people thinking these were more along the lines of WMD's. When people think of "plastic explosives" they think of things that blow up a door.
The Good
Major Austin Pearson is right out of central casting in the category of "Why Our Military is the Best In the World". What you saw was a microcosm of our armed forces. A tough, strong, intelligent and straight-shooting guy who obviously takes a lot of pride in doing the great work that he does.
The sight of him in uniform describing specifically having removed 275 tons of explosives is a very powerful rebuke to John Kerry's claim that the explosives were left unguarded and the President was "incompetent".
One can easily imagine the anger and rightful indignation that Major Pearson felt hearing John Kerry and his flunkies basicially tell him he didn't do his job. Hearing all that this man and his people did in destroying these weapons, in a combat zone, makes Kerry appear as he is, petty and small. As we pointed out recently. Kerry's criticism is really of the military, no matter what he claims. Major Pearson is a living, breathing person whose job it was to do what John Kerry said wasn't done. And the fact that he actually did it hits Kerry right between the eyes.
When the Kerry people start pointing out the things I listed above as being "not so good" they're going to appear like they're attacking Major Pearson personally (which they are). No matter how hard he or his minions try, it will rightfully appear that they are attacking Major Pearson personally. And that's a big mistake.
Another good thing that Dirita did was done was putting in perspective that these weapons make up so very little of the total in Iraq. He made sound ridiculous that these 1/10,000 of weapons was being discussed. He also took the NYT and MSM to task for not having the whole story, and effectively cast doubt on the original reports of 385 tons (it may only be 3)
CONCLUSION
On the whole, not the "home run" or "gotcha" we may have been looking for, but a very good job of putting Kerry in a position where he has to tear down Major Pearson, who will, deservedly, for the next few days, be the symbol of all our brave men and women in the armed forces.
Ping
This was so irritating listening to the mealy mouthed press punks trying to play Philadelphia lawyer with an America soldier who did the job he was trained to do.
More like a dribbler in front of the plate.
Possibly the first step in a bigger release to come..Say tomorrow..more concrete info, pinning Kerry's ears back..that would dominate the Sunday talk shows and the sunday papers..The military calls it "prepping the battlefiedl"
I'd say the fact that we saw munitions, recognized the danger, tasked specialized units to gather and destroy it pretty concrete to me. Especially in contrast to the barking moonbat bloviating this week.
This reporter didn't see the same press conference I did. When he says it wasn't a home run, that implies that it was failure and didn't accomplish all that it could have.
It accomplished everything it could have. I don't buy the political charge, either. It is the Pentagon's duty to protect the troops and keep them safe. They have been attached just as surely as if Saddam or Osama had done it themselves. Does the writer think that a "perfect" press conference would have shut the mouth of the Kerry sick-o-pant naysayers?
The only problem for some would be that the conference was honest, straightforward and unpolitical. They were careful not to say more than they know (or could be expected to say given that the AEIAIEIA is acting as an enemy, yet we must be diplomatic.
i couldn't agree more: the troops knew they had to deal with such a huge munitions site and jumped right on it. what was transferred where, when is really not the point. our troops were on it in short order. after all, who would benefit most from moving weaponry from enemy hands to friendly?: our troops. they done good -- and i am proud of them yet again!
Grassboots.org--
I agree with you. I think that the press over analyzes everything and I think the regular people in this country will see what you and I are seeing. Bottom line: Kerry jumped to conclusions to try and gain an edge over GWB...he trashed our brave men and women of the military, and showed his true treasonistic qualities and the fact that he is just a plain liar that cannot be trusted, let alone be qualified to be CIC!
The Major saw NO IAEA marked explosives (PETN/RDX/MDX) in the opened bunkers that he emptied of 200-250 tons of various types of explosives!
That fact leads to two conclusions: either it wasn't there when he arrived (meaning Saddam and/or the Russians got rid of it prior to war) or it was under lock and key in the bunkers he didn't empty (meaning we controlled it because there was no looting going on.)
Thus either the "bad stuff" was gone when we got there, or it was destroyed by US coalition forces after the locked bunkers were opened, and no one noted that some of had IAEA stickers.
If I've missed something, let me know.....
All you say is true, however, under the circumstances it was undoubtedly political, whether they meant it to be or not. The press conference was forced on them by the Kerry lies, and it was pretty obvious to me that Dirita was taking unnamed shots directly at Kerry and the MSM. They were all true, but just see how they spin it.
Larry Dirita (was that the name of the Pentagon spokesman?) was a total IDIOT.
I kept yelling SHUT UP when he started talking because he was so obviously being defensive and TAP DANCING.
WTF is this administration doing, acting like it is being thrown on the DEFENSIVE by a lying pompous wuss like KERRY? I am very disappointed in the studied, mind numbingly academic and all together too much nice-guy Bush team reaction to this whole pack of lying Kerryista press hyenas.
The major was cool albeit grammatically challenged. But you don't need the Queen's English to blow up bombs.
You cannot equate what the Pentagon spokesman does and the campaign. It is the campaigns job to carry the ball. Without revealing another fact, the Bush/Cheney team have enough to cream their opponents - Don't blame the DOD.
The blonde female reporter was so annoying and had that "you're lying" scowl on her face. Like this witch has one clue what war is like or what these explosives looked like.
If these "journalists" spent 1/10000 of their time nastily questioning unions, teachers unions, anti-war protesters, liberal politicians, Bill Clinton, etc., this country would be a much better place.
The major should've pulled out his sidearm and shot that reporter. God - that would've been sweet justice.
Well if NOT the DoD, then who do YOU blame for putting a blithering idot up to refute the charges of a hostile lying press and defend the President's leadership?
Larry Dirita sucked as a spokesman.
I hear some blithering but is not from the DOD. His job was not to refute the charges of a lying press and defend the President's leadership (although those with ears could hear that in there). I don't want the DOD playing politics, I want them defending our country.
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