Posted on 02/13/2006 3:26:41 PM PST by RWR8189
The silence was deafening and the seats were empty. The western press was nowhere to be found. The location was Baghdad and the event was a February 10th, 2006 press conference announcing the final verification of December's election results. Although the final allocation of parliamentary seats did not change from last month's tentative reports, the conference was nonetheless significant for American and Iraqi history. What was equally significant was the absence of members of the western press.
If the pre-release of the topics to be discussed included reports of widespread voter fraud, complaints by detained terrorists of maltreatment, or a sudden clamoring for the return of the deadly former dictator, certainly, the major news networks and the print media would have found time to attend. Of course, their reports would have consisted of their own perceived failure of western style elections in a part of the world that they deem to be unprepared for democracy. Since they were unable to report a "disastrous" event of this war, apparently, their budgets did not allow for attendance in Baghdad.
The true significance of this announcement is the underlying theme which the anti-war crowd refuses to recognize: the war has been successful and there is verifiable progress within the country of Iraq. Not only did we defeat a murderous despot, we have gained an ally in the war against terrorism. Just three short years ago, these same people were being terrorized by a vicious regime whose primary responsibility was supposed to be to protect its own citizens. After being victims of this brutal state, free Iraqis are now fighting their former oppressors who consist of remnants of the Ba'ath Party and the foreign terrorists who have taken it upon themselves to determine what is best for the Iraqi people.
What is feeding the success of the Iraqis is that they are fighting for a legitimately elected government which they now have a genuine part in. No longer are they forced to support the narcissistic and sadistic ways of a tyrant. Instead, Iraqis learned at this press conference that their efforts to defeat terrorism through the ballot box have been legitimized by local and international organizations. Now, the business of forming the government begins.
It is said that success has many fathers, while failure is an orphan. In the pessimistic world of the western press and the anti-war left, they continually turn their backs on momentous accomplishments while simultaneously failing to acknowledge this turning point in the defense of freedom. The press never hesitates to report on the so-called surges of attacks in Iraq. Logically speaking, if there is a surge at any given point, then there must have been a previous decrease in attacks as well, yet, that is never reported.
True, there are peaks and valleys in the number of attacks. What is not reported when these supposed surges take place is the failure of most of the attacks. The bombings and shootings have not adversely affected operations, they have not disrupted our logistics, nor have they resulted in the enemy gaining one inch of territory. More importantly, they have not hindered the desire of the Iraqis to continue on with everyday life, despite the attempts of the terrorists to target innocent civilians. Yet, the intensity and constant reporting of every negative occurrence in Baghdad would lead one to believe that we have walked into the shadow of death from which there is no return.
An example of the failure to report on the importance of this success was demonstrated at the conclusion of the press conference. Several hours later, the only related news on CNN International were reports of two bombings in Iraq and the all important notice from Cindi Sheehan that she will not run for the Senate and send Diane Feinstein into retirement.
At a time when American troops deserve a good headline in the major newspapers or a positive top-of-the-hour news flash on the network stations, the press and the left instead continue to focus on more mundane topics of discussion. This is the beginning of the most pivotal year in this war, and once again, the mainstream media finds itself on the wrong side of history.
John M. Kanaley is a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Army. He serves in Baghdad, Iraq.
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Figures...Good News seems to go unreported by the MSM, ALL THE TIME...since it would be counter to their agenda.
-Stay Safe-
The MSM is a greater threat to freedom than the terrorists. You can kill terrorists.
Yes, were it not for FR, we would not have heard this news.
Thank you for posting this piece.
Pro Military News that the media refuse to cover PING
This needs to be sent to the
Right Wing Media shows and hosts
that did not cover this.
Where are the GOP ads supporting our troops?
They had money for the Supreme Court ads,
why not our troops?
bump
If the pre-release of the topics to be discussed included reports of widespread voter fraud, complaints by detained terrorists of maltreatment, or a sudden clamoring for the return of the deadly former dictator, certainly, the major news networks and the print media would have found time to attend. Of course, their reports would have consisted of their own perceived failure of western style elections in a part of the world that they deem to be unprepared for democracy. Since they were unable to report a "disastrous" event of this war, apparently, their budgets did not allow for attendance in Baghdad.
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NEVER FORGET
...If we returning Vietnam War Veterans had had Freerepublic.com to combat the TV Lies WALTER CRONKITE & DAN RATHER were giving the American People on a nightly basis about what we were doing in Vietnam...
...a once Free South Vietnam would still be Free today.
Signed:.."ALOHA RONNIE" Guyer
Veteran-"WE WERE SOLDIERS" Battle of IA DRANG-1965
(Pctures-1965)
http://www.lzxray.com/guyer_set1.htm
(Pictures-2001)
http://www.lzxray.com/guyer_collection.htm
NEVER FORGET
.
BTTT
Good idea Tonk. Thanks for the ping.
There are ads playing here in Minnesota if you can believe it. Minnesota of all places. And they're great!
http://wcco.com/topstories/local_story_040171013.html
Here's a link to the story and a place to view the commercial. They're paid for by the conservative Progress for America Voter Fund.
And he has more honesty, success in life, integrity, ability and courage than a hundred thumb-sucking news journalists put together.
We salute you sir, stay safe.
.
Just for the LOVE of it,
...see my Freeper Home Page...
...simply by accessing the "ALOHA RONNIE" on this post.
.
BTTT!!!! Hey FReepers, the MSM won't report it but we can! Please read and pass it on.
Thank you, RWR8189, for posting Lieutenant Colonel John M. Kanaley's letter. He stated the situation perfectly and his words need to be heard.
Do yourself a BIG favor
Facts vs. Fiction: A Report from the Front
By Karl Zinsmeister
http://www.theamericanenterprise.org/issues/articleID.18977/article_detail.asp
Your editor has just returned from another month in Iraq—my fourth extended tour in the last two and a half years. During November and December I joined numerous American combat operations, including the largest air assault since the beginning of the war, walked miles of streets and roads, entered scores of homes, listened to hundreds of Iraqis, observed voting at a dozen different polling sites, and endured my third roadside ambush. With this latest firsthand experience, here are answers to some common queries about how the war is faring.
See Reply 18
"Facts vs. Fiction: A Report from the Front "
I posted this article elsewhere and had somebody tell me that because American Enterprise is a rightwing group and has Lynn Cheney on the board that this couldn't be considered a source of truth. Too much of a bias!
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