RUMSFELD SET UP; REPORTER PLANTED QUESTIONS WITH SOLDIER (DRUDGE SIREN)

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[Nascardude]

RUMSFELD SET UP; REPORTER PLANTED QUESTIONS WITH SOLIDER
Thu Dec 09 2004 11:49:38 ET

Chattanooga Times Free Press reporter Edward Lee Pitts is embedded with the 278th Regimental Combat Team, now in Kuwait preparing to enter Iraq, and is filing articles for his newspaper. Pitts claims in a purported email that he coached soldiers to ask Defense Secretary Rumsfeld questions!

From: EDWARD LEE PITTS, Chattanooga Times Free Press military reporter
Sent: Wednesday, December 8, 2004 4:44 PM
To: Staffers

Subject: RE: Way to go

I just had one of my best days as a journalist today. As luck would have it, our journey North was delayed just long enough see I could attend a visit today here by Defense Secretary Rumsfeld. I was told yesterday that only soldiers could ask questions so I brought two of them along with me as my escorts. Before hand we worked on questions to ask Rumsfeld about the appalling lack of armor their vehicles going into combat have. While waiting for the VIP, I went and found the Sgt. in charge of the microphone for the question and answer session and made sure he knew to get my guys out of the crowd.

So during the Q&A session, one of my guys was the second person called on. When he asked Rumsfeld why after two years here soldiers are still having to dig through trash bins to find rusted scrap metal and cracked ballistic windows for their Humvees, the place erupted in cheers so loud that Rumsfeld had to ask the guy to repeat his question. Then Rumsfeld answered something about it being "not a lack of desire or money but a logistics/physics problem." He said he recently saw about 8 of the special up-armored Humvees guarding Washington, DC, and he promised that they would no longer be used for that and that he would send them over here. Then he asked a three star general standing behind him, the commander of all ground forces here, to also answer the question. The general said it was a problem he is working on.

The great part was that after the event was over the throng of national media following Rumsfeld- The New York Times, AP, all the major networks -- swarmed to the two soldiers I brought from the unit I am embedded with. Out of the 1,000 or so troops at the event there were only a handful of guys from my unit b/c the rest were too busy prepping for our trip north. The national media asked if they were the guys with the armor problem and then stuck cameras in their faces. The NY Times reporter asked me to email him the stories I had already done on it, but I said he could search for them himself on the Internet and he better not steal any of my lines. I have been trying to get this story out for weeks- as soon as I foud out I would be on an unarmored truck- and my paper published two stories on it. But it felt good to hand it off to the national press. I believe lives are at stake with so many soldiers going across the border riding with scrap metal as protection. It may be to late for the unit I am with, but hopefully not for those who come after.

The press officer in charge of my regiment, the 278th, came up to me afterwords and asked if my story would be positive. I replied that I would write the truth. Then I pointed at the horde of national media pointing cameras and mics at the 278th guys and said he had bigger problems on his hands than the Chattanooga Times Free Press. This is what this job is all about - people need to know. The solider who asked the question said he felt good b/c he took his complaints to the top. When he got back to his unit most of the guys patted him on the back but a few of the officers were upset b/c they thought it would make them look bad. From what I understand this is all over the news back home.

Thanks,

Lee

EDWARD LEE PITTS FILED STORY ABOUT THE TROOPS BEFORE THE POW-WOW WITH RUMSFELD

Developing...

[cyncooper]

I recall another war the media did the same thing

You're right!

[billbears]

Ummm...

Ummm...I didn't hear 1000 soldiers that are currently there cheering about those questions. Or are you saying that the armchair party warriors know more than the men actually out in the field? Of course these men that cheered have to be wrong about their equipment. Bush and Rumsfeld told us so and we have to take anecdotal statements from our leaders as fact versus the men that are actually using the equipment don't we?

[notigar]

Well, maybe being patronizing isn't a good move either.

[marty60]

No this crap in the media is giving aid and comfort to the enemy. That is not shallow. They certainly didn't take this stuff lightly during WWII. But then Patton got skewered for slapping a whining uninjured soldier sitting with men that had been gravely injured in battle. My Uncle was with Patton and was furious over the incident. he said he was a Great General.

I wonder what Patton would think of today?

[HairOfTheDog]

The soldier was a grownup, and asked the question to Rummy, not the NYT.

What I am saying is, there isn't one of us here who wouldn't support MORE being sent to MORE troops. Rummy has license to ask for more of everything, and he should use it.

[Darksheare]

No dice.
Nice try though.
And you weren't being patronizing in your apparent insistence that you know for a fact who or what the soldiers were cheering?

[SmithL]

Apparently MoDo was able to file her rant beforehand, also.

[omega4179]

First off the enemy knows they can blow up every truck we have. antitank mines will destroy any vehicle that comes along.

secondly, Rush is smart it is not an act.

[TexKat]

Exactly, These idiots would and have spotted our troops movements during combat, out our weaknesses, give aid and comfort to our enemy, slander our leader during war, falsified documents to impeach our presidents credibility during war, claim war crimes against our soldiers in the heat of battle, and ....drum rolls please....claim near revolt on the battle field during a time of war to aid and abet our enemies. And people think we should trust the MSM?

How many of our military members have we lost and how many do we have maimed from IEDs, and for how long has this been going on? Well over a year. How many videos have the terrorist made and boasted of blowing up a passing convoy via remote controll or otherwise? Many.

There was a congressional hearing on C-Span at least 9 months ago regarding this matter +. I did not catch the original hearing but did catch the replay of it. This info was already out for public consumption.

[Steel Wolf]

Sometimes it's the faster vehicle that makes you survive.

Something else, soldiers who don't improvise once they get to the field usually don't survive as well as those who do

Right on both counts. We didn't have up armored's when I was there, and I wouldn't want them if I went back. Travelling light and fast as hell will save your life. Being able to get in and out of your vehicles quickly is another. Most importantly, you've got to keep your eyes and ears open no matter how routine and uneventful your day has been so far.

I saw countless supply convoys driving along with soldiers half asleep in the turret. At one point we passed a column of Strykers on a narrow road near Mosul that didn't even see us rapidly approaching from their rear. I wish I had my camera handy, because the suprise of us passing them at 70mph was priceless.

Anyway, these were our highly unarmored but also highly modified rides, and I'd be happy to roll with them again.

[izzatzo]

Heard part of Rush's commentary and plan to listen to it in toto tonight on his website-it would behoove everyone who can to do the same. Rush had some excellent comments about this case and some of other press coverage of Iraq.

As for this soldier and reporter, they should both be punished severely-the reporter for generating news rather than reporting it and the soldier for serving as his lackey and going outside the chain of command to generate this reporter's story.

[Zacs Mom]

ewwwwwww - I have way too vivid an imagination and that was a visual I really didn't need! rotfl....

[billbears]

who says I'm not? I support the troops. Questioning the equipment, as the soldiers are doing themselves (if the cheers are to be accounted for), is still supportive of the troops

[notigar]

My reply? I'd call it stubborn, not patronizing.

[Grampa Dave]

Do you work for the AP when you post BS lies like this:

BUT we've been there years now, the story is not new, and this is the richest nation on Earth.

BS re 3 years. We didn't start bombing until March of 2003.

Some of you never miss the chance to take a shot at GW or the administration.

The history of our military is that we are short of stuff most of the time, but we found ways to get around it. We were short of stuff under JFK and LBJ when I served. We found ways to get around it.

[Darksheare]

Oh.
I see.
It's patronizing when someone else does it, but it's merely stubborn when you do it.
Uh-huh.

[cyncooper]

I think YOU are spinning this out of control.

You have no evidence of that. That is absurd.

How many times must I say I did not criticize the question yet here you feel compelled to deliver a lecture to me about its merits.

As to your indifference to the MSM, they are serving as a detriment to the safety of our troops by working to lower their morale in this way. You may not care. I do.

[Darksheare]

So are you going to answer the question?

[marty60]

By the way, it they come up with a way for helicopters to not be shot out the they sky by RPGs I wish they let someone know. <p. Don't give the media any ideas. They'll make your husband a target even worse than he is now.

[notigar]

I got no truck with you Darksheare, happy trails.