Posted on 02/17/2006 8:31:20 AM PST by cricket
While this editorial by Scott is long and covers a multitude of sins by Minneapolis Star Tribune; I am focusing on letter written by Lt.Col. Joe Repy and included by Scott as it was sent to 'Star Trib', but not printed. . .and despite the editorial decisions of this newspaper; Scott thought it deserved to be shared and I wanted to share Scotts. . .'sharing'. . .Include some prelim of Scott's editorial as well (editing for brefity for FR in parentheses). . .Scott's the full editorial, available at powerlineblog.com
Quiet: MSM at work
The Minneapolis Star Tribune has made itself a national laughingstock with its cartoonish leftism and intellectual vacuity. No newspaper in the country converts Democratic Party talking points into editorials more quickly than the Star Tribune. The paper's editorial page marches in lockstep conformity with the Democratic Party's needs of the moment.
(snip...and excerpt; some italics/parenthesis mine)
Last Sunday the Star Tribune published the column by Star Tribune metro columnist Nick Coleman on the "Midwest Heroes" advertising campaign defending the Iraq war: the advertising campaign was put together by Progress for America (Coleman's column already debunked at 'powerline' by John . . .and Coleman's basic assumptions/errors "traced to the Web site of a far-left organization".)
"The Swift Boating of Iraq has begun," Coleman opined. . .
. . .recalling the media's treatment of the Swift Boat Vets, in which personal attacks on them substituted for an examination of their claims. Coleman's statement might have been accurate if confined to his own performance.
Coleman turned to Paul Rieckhoff, founder and executive director of the 'Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America', to rebut 'Midwest Heroes'. Coleman described Rieckhoff's group as a nonpartisan organization. . .(John/;'powerline') response to Coleman "caught the attention of Lt. Col. Joe Repya.
Col. Repya volunteered to return to active duty for service in Iraq at age 59. Col. Repya's previous service includes command of a rifle platoon in Vietnam and flying helicopters in the first Gulf War. (The Star Tribune has run ten of Col. Repya's "letter home" columns in connection with his current service.)
Col. Repya immediately wrote a letter to the editor of the Star Tribune in response to Coleman's column. I don't know how many letters the Star Tribune has received about Coleman's column, but I know it received Col. Repya's, and that it hasn't run it (or any other). Col. Repya takes up Coleman's description of Rieckhoff and several other points made by Coleman.
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I recently returned from Iraq and must respond to Nick Coleman's ("Iraq War Vets Spin...") column.
Who is really spinning Minnesota? How about looking in the mirror, Nick! You conveniently failed to mention that your major "nonpartisan" source, Paul Rieckhoff, of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), was a delegate to the 2004 Democratic National Convention and a New York State Chairman for Veterans for Kerry. Ex-Gov Jesse Ventura as an IAVA board advisor also "nonpartisan"? Sorry, we're not buying that either!
Don't know what poll Mr. Rieckhoff was quoting, but the Military Times 2005 Iraq Poll of our service members (released January 2006) has some interesting results.
A staggering 73% of the respondents believe it's likely the United States will succeed in Iraq. Four of every five respondents said they believe media reports often are inaccurate. I suggest before you spin more misinformation on a subject you know nothing about, you actually visit Iraq and see for yourself.
You radical liberals and Moveon.Org types have to get over losing the 2000 and 2004 Presidential elections.
No, the War is not going "swimmingly," but most service members that have recently been in Iraq will tell you we are winning. Unlike Vietnam, we won't allow you "cut and run" types to snatch Defeat from the jaws of Victory.
The bottom line is most in the military know what is at stake in the War on Terror and believe you can't be trusted with our National Defense.
Joe Repya
Lieutenant Colonel, US Army 101ST Airborne Division (Air Assault)
Fort Campbell, KY
A veteran of Vietnam, the Gulf War and Operation Iraqi Freedom
Posted by Scott at 07:10 AM | Permalink ///
of course, trying to hurry at end here and did not catch typo on Col. Joe Repya's name! Grrrrr. and so sorry. . .(can anybody fix it?) He does not dserve this typo!
Nice post.
. . .I loved his letter, posted by Scott Johnson/powerline; and thought since 'Mnneapolis Star Tribune' 'could' not publish this. . .that I could perhaps extend the audience for Col. Repya by way of Free Republic. . .
(hated screwing up his name in first line, however. . .just trying to do too many things at once!)
. . .I loved his letter, posted by Scott Johnson/powerline; and thought since 'Mnneapolis Star Tribune' 'could' not publish this. . .that I could perhaps extend the audience for Col. Repya by way of Free Republic. . .
(hated screwing up his name in first line, however. . .just trying to do too many things at once!)
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