Top US Generals Outraged, Blast the Washington Post

The Post Chronicle ^ | 2/2/06 | Jim Kouri

[RepublicNewbie]

In an unprecedented move, the nation's top military officers blasted the editors of the Washington Post and editorial cartoonist Tom Toles for an editorial cartoon published in the newspaper on Monday and on its website.

The letter to the Post editors charges that the six military leaders "believe you and Mr. Toles have done a disservice to your readers and your paper's reputation by using such a callous depiction of those who have volunteered to defend this nation, and as a result, have suffered traumatic and life-altering wounds. ... As the Joint Chiefs, it is rare that we all put our hand to one letter, but we cannot let this reprehensible cartoon go unanswered."

The Toles cartoon shows a soldier, a quadriplegic, in a hospital, being visited by a Dr. Rumsfeld who is scribbling on a form. Rumsfeld says, "I am listing your condition as battle hardened." At the bottom a smaller figure of the doctor adds, "I'm prescribing that you be stretched thin. We don't define that as torture."

According to Editor & Publisher, a spokeswoman from the office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said a letter from all six joint chiefs to anyone, let alone a newspaper, is rare, but the cartoon so offended them, they wanted to let their feelings be known. Continue reading this article below

"It was expressing their disappointment with the paper and outrage at using that image to make a political point," said Lt. Col. Diane Battaglia. "That is a rare occurrence, but the level of inappropriateness prompted a response of unanimous support."

Battaglia said Post editors told her office that the letter would be published in Thursday's paper. Editorial Page Editor Fred Hiatt declined to comment on the letter...

[NearlyNormal]

Unless, of course, it leads to the immediate cancelation of the WaPo subscriptions of ALL the military households!

If it weren't for the sale ads and coupons, we wouldn't even get the Sunday-only edition. But at least, when the WaPo calls in Q4 of every year to offer the "Weekdays for Free" (I'm sure just to boost the appearance of their roster), it's always amusing to tell them "Sorry, we don't contribute to the Democratic Party!" and hang up.

[Donald Rumsfeld Fan]

.."Why are we setting this one aside?" Orders.

[SuziQ]

"It was expressing their disappointment with the paper and outrage at using that image to make a political point," said Lt. Col. Diane Battaglia. "That is a rare occurrence, but the level of inappropriateness prompted a response of unanimous support."

I'm sure a few choice phrases were uttered in the room if all those guys got together and discussed this!

I'm glad they went public with this unanimous statement. They're not demanding anything of the Washington Post except some respect for the soldiers they purport to 'support'., The Joint Chiefs are not telling the Washington Post that they shouldn't protest the war; the paper has every right to do so, but they should also be more respectful and not do so over the broken bodies of the men and women who have served honorably.

[usslsm51]

Nothing more than the Washington Post living up to its shoddy journalismf.

[chambley1]