U.S. MARINES RALLY ROUND IRAQ PROBE COMRADE

Reuters ^ | 11/16/04

[Peach]

LOL.

NewsMax posted a story about Kerry's "heroism" as it relates to this story, complete with a FR mention.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1281129/posts

[MissAmericanPie]

Yeah, this is all we need, loss of morale among our troops. I'm ready to launch protests outside local stations urging them to drop MSM.

[ProudVet77]

Try your local NBC affiliate. Also local advertisers.

[hobbes1]

Don't toss any. This is the prelude to an important Public Debate.



We need to all be on the same page, regarding the actions of these terrorists, in battle and in terror campaigns.


Once they decide to play possum for offensive purposes, no prisoners may be safely taken in combat, it is really that simple.

[MizSterious]

Did you see me say anything about killing him or beating him? My remedy is to send him packing and never allow him into so much as a dog pound press briefing again. Put him on the society page beat where he belongs.

The statement you quoted is but one of his many statements on this affair, and none of them were anywhere near as kind as that one. Sorry I can't provide a quote, but they were statements I heard, and I don't have transcripts.

Here you are, sticking up for the reporter. Me, I'm sticking up for the Marine who most probably saved the reporter's miserable life. Next time, send the reporter over to find out if a body is dead yet, or if he's boobytrapped. Maybe then he can get an appreciation for what happened that day.

[Jarhead1957]

I start to post, and I get so damn mad I forget what I wanted to say. I guess $crew Kevin Sites and the MSM will have to do, until I come up with something that sounds profound.

[rellimpank]

--Sorry, but I don't---it's in my memory from much reading of WW2 history--hope somebody else can help--

[Swanks]

There is a (very) plus side to this. If the MSM isn't completely hated by the american public, they soon will be for humping this story.

[XJarhead]

Actually, the embed isn't entirely bad.

Sites said: "I have witnessed the Marines behaving as a disciplined and professional force throughout this offensive. In this particular case, it certainly was a confusing situation to say the least."

What stinks are those in the MSM who are trying to make a big deal out of this. My guess is that any TV coverage will omit the complimentary remarks from the embed, and just use the film and their own inane commentary to make it look worse than it was.

[speed_addiction]

At the end of Desert Storm, my squad was taking prisoners every time we went out on patrol. It got to where we would load up a few cases of MREs for this very contingency. On one of these patrols we came up on a group of Iraqis who wanted to surrender.

We went to get them and the dropped and opened fire on us, wounding one of my men. Specialist Bishop manning our turrent mounted SAW on our Hummer provided covering fire for us. After a brief firefight, the Iraqis thought better of their actions and came out to surrender. We promptly shot a couple of them where they stood. The rest ran out into the desert tossing weapons and equipment as the went. We shot these in the back.

When I reported this to my commander, I told him simply that we were ambushed. I had a wounded soldier to prove it.

It is very easy for someone who has never been there to understand the thought process of a warrior in combat. Even the best officers and NCOs have trouble reeling their men in when the adrenaline is flowing and the blood runs hot.

I am pretty sure I know what these Marine's thoughts were. I don't blame him one bit.

[O.C. - Old Cracker]

I have a photocopy of the after action report from a SSG who discovered the body of my brother near Duc Pho, RVN in September 1970.

My brother had been wounded and captured by the Viet Cong. Three days later his headless body was found leaning against a tree. The SSG's report from that day says they first tied a rope around one of the legs and drug the corpse a few feet to confirm that it was not booby trapped. The "insurgents" in Iraq evidently employ the same tactics.

Someone needs to find this Kevin Sites character and deliver a personal message from the Marines in Iraq. Nothing permanent, just muss his hair a bit.

Tough guy, Kevin Sites putting his life on the line for NBC.

[TexasCajun]

The standard media response should be:

"Let me read your statements of condemnation when you learned John Kerry shot a Fleeing, Wounded, N.Korean BOY in the BACK"

[Republican Red]

I called my local Atlanta affiliate WXIA (404-892-1611). I was told that it wasn't their responsiblitity since they are only an affiliate.

Now, I am pretty upset to begin with but that put me over the edge. They can't even take responsibility for what is airing on their own stations. I gave the man a man a taste of a redhead's temper. I told him I will contact every local sponsor I witness on WXIA and let them know why I will no longer be buying from them.

I also called NBC Washington bureau 202-885-4200.

I think I'll call CNN next. They are a local number and I can vent some more.

[areafiftyone]

LOL You are not alone. I am sooo livid over this!

[eyespysomething]

People are upset with the Marine being investigated, and the obvious outlet is the reporter. People have, understandably, developed a huge distrust of media.

I agree with the embedding of reporters. I think its a good way to see the military at work, doing what they do so well. I think the reporter should have turned a copy of the tape over to military authorities if he had qualms about what happened, as opposed to thinking he had the next "Abu Ghraib" scandal and releasing it to NBC (or whoever he released it to) He seems to have handled it badly.

I think what you are reading is the frustration of many FReepers. Besides, they may not personally know reporters, and the hard work they do.

[roses of sharon]

Then you agree with the release of video, world-wide, accusing a man of murder, without benefit of an investigation first?

[Eastbound]

""I would have shot the insurgent too. Two shots to the head," said Sergeant Nicholas Graham, 24, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. "You can't trust these people. He should not be investigated. He did nothing wrong." "

$ht happens. I'm sure I would have done the same thing under the circumstances. Anyone else?

[MizSterious]

You are 100% correct, in my opinion. I can't believe this press-scum can't see that--and I don't believe for an instant that he didn't know about the boobytrapped "bodies" and "woundeds" that had already been found. Nope, I think he thought he might get the Pulitzer for "exposing" military "atrocities"--even if he had to be a bit inventive.

Let's just take out the "LI," and the "ER," and award him this year's PUTZ award.

[abc1]

You can find this on Reuters.com

[rudypoot]

Quite honestly, if he was just shooting at me moments ago and I walked into the room with him wounded, I'd finish him off too. This is part of war. Don't put the fear of lawyers on the troops. Their job is hard enough.