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...
exploited the NG troops - actually I just found out said soldier was a guest on Al Franken's Air America and is an activist - he just need professional help in formulating a question that would wow the media. The soldier was not manipulted - he had his agenda - which is his right of course.
5,910 uparmored
9,134 retrofitted
4,345 unarmored.
Well that settles it. Congressmen, Senators, Bush, Rumsfeld, and a media that at least one poster thinks isn't controlled enough by the government. Boy-o you've got all the facts don't you? I bow to your superior position. Surely, I must be wrong to not base my opinion on statements given by politicians and instead choose to read articles on a worldwide basis and views from others that don't base their entire lives on knowing what to say to stay in positions of power
I figured that was painfully clear to all.
I was wrong.
Proving once again that Pitts hates our soldiers and could care less what consequenses THEY pay for HIS actions. Neither he nor his publisher give a wet slap what quality armor the soldiers have or what questions their family want answered.
No doubt if any routine disciplinary action is taken for insubordination, Pitts has a plan to cash in on that too.
"The Humvee thing should be addressed." It's being addressed as best as it can. As I said there is only one plant doing the work of up-armoring the Hummers. We need more plants to do the work. We need more soldiers to fill those vehicles.
" It's a tough order to ask Bush to undo all the harm that was heaped on the militay in the 8 years of Clinton. It's hard to ask Bush to snap his hands and fix it all, but it is legit to say, "You could have done a better job fixing the damage Clinton created."
How much of an increase in spending for this stuff do you think the last Congress would have passed given the deliberate stalling of any and all legislature in the Senate?
As much as it stinks politics played a lot into this over the last 4 years. Trying to get fixed and upgraded what needs to be fixed and upgraded during war is akin to trying tair up a flat tire while moving down the highway at 70 m.p.h. I think the full measure of what the Clintoon Pentagon wraught on me and my fellow soldiers has only come to light since 9/11.
It will take more than the 8 years of W to fix what was done. It's always easier to tear down than it is to build up.
You know better than to think that. A comprehensive look into the problem will reveal murderous effeciency with which Clinton gutted our military...and the public will be told it's all Bush's fault. You know that.
That's an interesting tidbit. Thanks.
Kool-aid drinking Bush Bots are a bore
"There were no spare parts, barely any ammo"
I remember that all too well.
My artillery unit was "S.O.L." if we broke anything.
And when we grumbled too loudly, some regulation was invented so that we coudln't 'question the commander in sink', er.. 'commander in chief'.
Anyone who dared utter against Clinton got an Article 15 and had some rather unpleasant experiences occur to their career.
We are trying to turn this about.
I wish it'd move quicker.
I am not in a position though to guess whether or not it could move quicker.
*sigh*
Actually in an earlier post I put up...I pulled a quote from Pitts' editor PRAISING his work on the story.
No disciplinary action for this guy would seem to be forthcoming. Unfortuneately. If I'd been the Public Affairs Officer for the 278th...this guy would have been on the next plane OUT of Kuwait.
"Kool-aid drinking Bush Bots are a bore"
Yes but they are far less annoying than hateful Trolls like yourself.
Thank you for that link.
"Big difference in supporting the troops and the administration that sent them there bucko."
"Dissent is patriotic!"
Yeah junior, I've heard that before.
And considering your past posts on the subject, I highly doubt your honesty on supporting the troops.
"Yea, now the troops in the field are all part of the anti-bush plane huh? Go drink some more kool-aid fool."
Take a hike Moby.
""Dissent is patriotic!"
But undermining the troops in anyway you can is tratiorous.
Do your arms ever get tired holding up that 5th Column?
He was a guest on Air America before he shipped out - per Al Franken.
Your memory is just fine. The Clinton administration quashed the concerns because they were all busily slashing funds to the military while ordering appointees to spend what little was left on black berets, made by child laborors in Chinese sweatshops, to boost moral by making all soldiers feel as good as the SpecOps who EARNED their berets. Oh, and so foreign dignitaries wouldn't feel uncomfortable being wined and dined on aircraft carriers or partying aboard nuclear subs. Just a few years later, the USS Cole was diverted from her flotilla in order to refuel at the Port of Aden due to a shortage of fittings used for oceanic refueling.
No, your memory is fine. My memory is just fine too...though perhaps tainted with bitterness after all these years.
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