Washington Post slanders milblogger from Iraq (Bill Roggio)

www.threatswatch.org ^ | 12-27-05 | ikez78

[ikez78]

Disinformation Operations Flaws in The Washington Post's article on Information Operations By Bill Roggio

Monday’s Washington Post featured an article written by Jonathan Finer and Doug Struck titled Bloggers, Money Now Weapons in Information War - U.S. Recruits Advocates to the Front, Pays Iraqi TV Stations for Coverage, of which my embed in Iraq was the subject of scrutiny as a military information operation.

There are three problems with this article which require a response: the use iof incorrect facts which could have been easily checked; the portrayal of my embed as an information operation; and equating U.S. military information operations with al-Qaeda propaganda efforts.

The “Facts”

There are several factual errors in this story, all of which could have been easily verified by direct questions to me, by reviewing my “About” pages at either ThreatsWatch.org or The Fourth Rail, or by asking some questions within their own organization.

I conducted an email interview with Mr. Finer from Iraq. This interview consisted of a single email exchange, and never once were the facts below addressed in any follow up questions.

I am not a “retired soldier”, as that would have required me to serve in the military for twenty plus years. I spent four years on active duty and two years in the National Guard. The article also indicates that I am currently in Iraq and embedded with the Marines in Western Anbar. I am not. I returned home on December 20th. rest is here http://commentary.threatswatch.org/2005/12/disinformation-operations/

[ikez78]

Bill is an excellent blogger with an excellet record and this makes you wonder why we shoudl believe ANYTHING the Washington Post says about anything with the number of errors, bias and lies in this story.

[McGavin999]

The MSM is dying and they are trying everything they can to stay alive. Instead, they only hasten their death with sloppy and biased reporting.

[airborne]

We should always question the Washington Post and New York Times.

Their stories, their motives and their employees.

They are working with/for the enemies of America.

Just my two cents.

[samtheman]

As their twindling readership becomes increasingly leftist, the compost slants its stories more and more to the left, pushing away non-leftist readers until they arrive at what they are today: a cheap propaganda sheet.

[MEG33]

BUMP!

[ikez78]

Hugh Hewitt is all over this too, as are a number of bloggers demanding answers from the WashPost http://www.hughhewitt.com/
Please take the time to email the ombudsman of the WashPost if you guys can ombudsman@washpost.com is the email address. These people at least deserve to hear what we think

[George Smiley]

I concur with your statement.

In fact I am reminded of a situation where I advised executives of a large client corporation in so many words that they were digging their own grave.

And their response was to dig even faster.

[Marine_Uncle]

Thanks for the link to the compost's buddy man. I wrote a fairly long letter, adding examples of how well Bill has managed his information and the manner in which he has presented it to the public. I made it clear he only got
private donations and left a lovely young family to embed
with our dear Marines in al Anbar etc.. I hope people who
do write show only respect, and present the facts. After
all the guy is a go between.

[timestax]

bttt

[Marine_Uncle]

"The MSM is dying and they are trying everything they can to stay alive. Instead, they only hasten their death with sloppy and biased reporting."
I hope our dear gentle lady FR's will excuse me on this one but these rotten pricks must be exposed and denounced to a point they close shop.

[Marine_Uncle]

"Just my two cents."
Sometimes two cents is equivalent to 2 billion dollars. I hope everyone writes to the buddsmen and expresses their controled anger, with facts. I did so about a half hour ago.

[Marine_Uncle]

" And their response was to dig even faster."
Well we can only hope the compost pile believes this is good strategy. Boy I am really pissed off on this one.

[Marine_Uncle]

Ping. Perhaps you folks can add to the long list of emails the embodesmen for the compost is probably receiving.
Bill Roggio surely deserves better then the foul treatment this lousy pigs afforded him. You don't need all the facts, but surely all of you have been reading his web site over time and see just how profesional and accurate he has been. I am sure he would appreciate us all pitching in and making our displeasure known on this issue. In my rather scathing letter I made it clear that growing numbers of blog sites will be picking up on what they pulled off and hundreds of thousands of people or more will eventually know how they tried to trash an American Patriot.

[Domangart]

Slander is verbal. Libel is printed.

[Southack]

Actually, it's rather pleasant to observe that our corrupt old news media isn't handling "reporting" competition very well.

Often, you see, someone's *attitude* will betray their real fate long before you are able to observe that they are losing.

[Marine_Uncle]

" Often, you see, someone's *attitude* will betray their real fate long before you are able to observe that they are losing."
Yes. As usual we seem to have no difference in opinion. It just pisses me of super royaly about attacking Bill. He is practically a neighbor of sorts. Who knows I may get to meet him since I live in Philly.
As you are aware. He left his young sweet family and put himself in harmsway, and these mealy mouth white wrist pricks attack his integrity. This one just hit sort of closer to home. Rotten bastards should be keelhauled then if they survive perhaps super glue their stupid heads on the end of an Abram tank main cannon barrel, and wait for the honorable soldier or Marine to decide when to push the button.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

ROFL!

I love how you say things...

I knew they were doing Roggio dirty!

[Marine_Uncle]

"ROFL! I love how you say things... I knew they were doing Roggio dirty!
Well Ernest. Someone has to keep your high blood pressure down a bit. Well see if we can continue the process. I ping due to the late East Coast hour, feeling some would not bump into this one. I plan on in the near future, give him a chance to get back with his lovely family and work, perhaps seeing if I can meet with him. If his hometown area in N.J. is close to Philly proper across one of the bridges, I may offer up a cold one to meet with him.

[Mind-numbed Robot]

Actually, it's rather pleasant to observe that our corrupt old news media isn't handling "reporting" competition very well.

They have gone from reporting to purporting. However, this is not new. Remember the NYTines guy who reported from Moscow that everything was rosy while Stalin was starving millions of Georgians. Got a Pulitzer Prize as I recall.

[ChadGore]

Do you have a link to the blog in question?