This is unreal. I cannot imagine how someone can think they know more about a subject by reading about that someone who is living it. It's obnoxious. I'm sure he'd take real offense if I told him, "I've read many books about acting, and I'm a better actor than you, though I've done nothing in the profession. You're stupid, I'm great."
I can understand how a troopie might know a lot about the war - generally he's concentratin' on his little piece right around him.
But the paper's are outright lyin' or concentratin' on the bad things. If ya read the papers ya think the "insurgents' got us on the run, when they're ones hidin and runnin' for their lives.