Posted on 06/20/2006 12:21:40 PM PDT by pillut48
``The news is going to be heartbreaking for my family,'' Ken MacKenzie, uncle of Army Pfc. Kristian Menchaca, told NBC's ``Today'' show. ``Because the U.S. government did not have a plan in place, my nephew has paid for it with his life,'' he said..."
(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...
DITTO......big time
Earth to uncle: your nephew was a brave grown man who was killed by savages in a WAR!
I'm glad I was raised in a military family.
He's a stupid idiot....never never pay terrorist....what a complete dumbass!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yep, and he is also entitled to be angry at Bush, the military, whomever. Anger is a normal expression of grief.
He may regret this later, or he may not, but it's understandable.
Bush is a big boy; he can take it. He understands it, too.
I am too. Military families rock!
He's not a victim. He's simply exhibiting the "it's all about me" syndrome. It isn't about his nephew, or the terrorists...it's all about his political viewpoint.
Mahalo for putting up this pic and the wording
says how so many of us feel.
I included this in mail just now sent (32) and
I know to expect some super replies.
Love the creativity of Conservatives.
Wizbang links to the full interview with the Uncle - and once again, it appears that the AP is skimming the uncle's interview to get only what they want...
In fact, it appears that the AP may be MISQUOTING the uncle:
http://wizbangblog.com/2006/06/20/ap-only-telling-half-the-story-on-soldiers-uncle.php
"A sad story to be sure... But the AP story is based on an interview Ken MacKenzie had with the Today show. And a transcript of the show makes the uncle a little less sympathetic and a bit more irrational. Via Newsbusters:
Lauer was interviewing Ken MacKenzie, a well-spoken, well-informed uncle to PFC Kristian Menchaca. Asked Lauer:
"A group linked to al-Qaeda on its website has claimed that they actually took Kristian and another soldier. What's your reaction to that?"
Replied MacKenzie::
"My reaction is the United States government should have immediately notified these Shura Council mujahadeen that the United States government was offering a $100-million reward and offering to exchange the 2,500 mujahadeen detainees that Prime Minister al-Maliki of Iraq plans to release several weeks from now. I think the U.S. government was too slow to react to this, they should have had a plan in place. Because the U.S. government did not have a plan in place, my nephew has paid for it with his life."
Lauer:
"Let me just interrupt for a second. Obviously the U.S. has a policy of not negotiating with terrorists. We do have reports that up to 8,000 troops, U.S. and Iraqis, are out searching for your nephew and also reward money is being offered in Baghdad or in the area for any information leading to the finding of your nephew. Are you suggesting that you think the U.S. government should pay a ransom?"
MacKenzie didn't mince words:
"Yes. The ransom is available from Saddam Hussein's Ba'ath party funds seized by the U.S. government. More than $100 billion in cash and gold, that the U.S. government apparently had plans to return to the government of Iraq. I would think that that money, part of it, could be used to pay ransom. That would not be coming out of U.S. taxpayer pockets, by the way. It could be paid out of the bank account where it now reposes. I think that that money should have been earmarked for this type of a hostage situation."
Lauer again challenged the suggestion:
"Mr. MacKenzie, obviously you are dealing with this as a personal and a family tragedy. I can certainly understand that, but wouldn't that then make it very profitable for terrorists in Iraq and other parts of the world to kidnap westerners because they could reap huge amounts of money from it?"
MacKenzie:
"Yes, but they are doing that anyway. I don't know if that would escalate or encourage them to kidnap more westerners and more U.S. soldiers. But I rather doubt it. My concern is the humanitarian concern."
READ MORE FROM WIZBAND
http://wizbangblog.com/2006/06/20/ap-only-telling-half-the-story-on-soldiers-uncle.php
I wish I could post an e-mail from the family of a local medic who was buried last week. (I won't violate their privacy to it.) The community has sent them prayers, love, and support to help them through this difficult time. The tragic thing about the e-mail is that they are so grateful for the small expressions of support, when it is US and every other American who should be grateful to them. They are proud of their son, and they damn well have every right to be.
Ann Coulter needed in aisle 13.
Sorry-- should have put quotation marks around "victim"
(because they aren't real victims once they start spouting familiar liberal phrases!
"As a regimental intelligence (S-2) officer, he would have spent most of his tour inside a perimeter organizing raw data that was fed to his office by the rifle companies and battalions and disseminating information that came from Division and 3rd MAF intelligence."
Are you saying in all probability that Murtha was just a pencil pusher??
And he has nerve to talk about Karl Rove's backside??
Give the guy a break. People can't be expected to think straight when they've just learned that a close relative has been tortured to death. If he starts crusading around like Cindy Sheehan, then we're justified in bad-mouthing him. But I'm not going to say one negative word about someone's who's just received the horrifying shock that this man has received, and doesn't happen to be feeling very diplomatic at the moment.
I've got family in 'Stan (3rd tour) and another in Iraq (2nd tour), they're in Our Lord's hands with daily prayers for both of them. I've got 3 others state side presently, who'll be leaving soon to be in harms way. I'd say I have a right to say what I said.
We thank them from the bottom of our hearts.
Doesn't matter to him if other lives are jeopardized, just as long as his relative is saved.
This ransom idea is heartless, selfish, and downright disgustingly rotten.
Someone, ask him if he agrees, with those he is siding with, whether his nephew and the other trooper deserved it?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.