Posted on 12/09/2004 9:22:17 AM PST by Nascardude
Edited on 12/09/2004 10:05:10 AM PST by Admin Moderator. [history]
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...
Just wanted you to see what I was saying to Mr. Bill there.
He was claiming to support the troops in his post to you.
So I was helping him with his claim.
*cough*
It's getting hard to tell who is becoming more hysterical as the time draws closer to the Iraqi elections, the terrorists pukes or the media pukes.
I posted that yellow ribbon because I was in agreeance with your post.
Perhaps he will go back and tell Bush it was VERY stupid to send Africa $15 billion dollars to maintain their bad sexual practices. This good money should have been used to design and produce a new urban warfare armored vehicle.
Maybe something like that Urban Warfare Vehicle in the movie "Stripes" will do just fine and dandy.
I say keep grilling Rumsfeld.
Well, that's the what has made me so angery about this whole thing too. I know that they are doing what they can for the troops, just the wheels of government move slowly. Where were all these people complaining about the lack of armour when we were in Mogadishu(sp)? Oh, that's right, Saint Clinton was the Pres. Now, that Bush is in, whatever it takes to hurt him.
Thanks you. I love that quote form Patton.
Don't wory about him. he'll get ever bit of armor available. You think the media wouldn't make him a posterboy against the Americans if he got a scratch. he just insured his survival.
The proper term is "RATmedia."
And, in truth, I didn't read all 461 comments between your first statement and this reply! 8<)
Good grief. "Can we have more armor? - We're picking through junkyards here." I know for a fact it's true. It's not an unfair question
I know.
Mr. Bill was trying to claim something he has not ever done.
Was just letting you know I was responding to his post to you.
He claims our being in Iraq is "unconstitutionally spreading Democracy" as per the first link in that post to him.
Holy Toledo!!! That's right out of the perpetual Liberals Little Red Phrase Book!!! Did a FReeper actually post that here??? Holy Toledo!!! (I gotta go look an see!!!)
Well, at least that would have been the trooper's OWN question, instead of a liberal reporter's force-fed induced garbage .....!
Post 196 has the money quote so to speak.
Your right, I'm going to use that instead of MSM.
Yes ... and some are trying to do the same thing again
Exactly. Get in, do the raid, throw the prisoners in the back, and get the hell out. You don't need to be fiddling around with slow vehicles, cramped conditions, and heavy doors. You need speed.
I never felt concerned about an IED since the tactic at the time was the RPG and I drove like hell!
Even with command detonated IEDs, the insurgents have a very hard time hitting fast moving vehicles. And if you drove a beat up Toyota pickup like a maniac I'm sure you fit right in anyway. ;-)
Let's hope that the Public Affairs officer for the 270th ACR kindlt (ok I lied I hope it was rather un kindly) informed Mr. Pitts taht he would no longer be able to accompany the Regiment on their trip north from Kuwait and that there was a seat waiting for him on the next flight out of Kuwait International. Being an Army Public Affairs person myself...that's what I personally would have puched the command to do.
Yeah by focusing the terrorists on the Humvees, even more than they already are. Maybe they'll use 6 RPG's against the upgraded ones. Rather than 1 or 2.
Upon reading the story posted here, one learns the reporter's name is Edward Lee Pitts...
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