Posted on 07/04/2007 8:35:57 AM PDT by free_life
Update on “Bless the Beasts and Children”
Baqubah, Iraq
Since the publication of “Bless the Beasts and Children” many questions have arisen: some of which I can and will answer here, and some whose answers lie elsewhere.
Today, late afternoon on 3 July in Baqubah, Colonel Hiduit from 2nd Brigade 5th Iraqi Army was able to provide some additional details about the murders, as the ongoing investigation begins to yield more facts. The name of the village was not on any maps I examined while preparing the dispatch, but Colonel Hiduit said the name is al Hamira. Coordinates to the area of the gravesites are MC 679 381.
In my dispatch, I reported that six people were killed, but mentioned that Iraqi soldiers were still digging out bodies when I left. A few hours ago, Colonel Hiduit put the number at 10-14, and said the search for bodies had ended. I made video of the graves, bodies and of interviews with Iraqi and American soldiers while we still were at the scene and have been working to make material from this available on this website.
As the investigation unfolds more pertinent details, I’ll continue to update the story. But the biggest question rippling across the internet–“Why hasn’t the mainstream media picked this up?” –is something only representatives of mainstream media can answer.
In fairness, several large outlets did publish it online: National Review Online and Fox News were both quick to place the story prominently on their websites. A few others also published excerpts. It was even briefly up on the Drudge Report. On the blog front, Instapundit, Hugh Hewitt, Blackfive, Andrew Sullivan, Captain’s Quarters and many others picked it up.
But for those publications who actually had people embedded in Baqubah when the story first broke and still failed to cover it, their malaise is inexplicable. I do not know why all failed to report the murders and booby-trapped village: apparently no reporters bothered to go out there, even though it’s only about 3.5 miles from this base. Any one of the reporters currently in Baqubah could still go to these coordinates and follow his or her nose and find the gravesites.
On this question of media selectivity, the blogosphere has become incensed that big media mostly ignored the murders, especially given that there are reporters currently in Baqubah. Newsbusters and countless others are on it. More disturbing to many bloggers is that major mainstream players were busted (again) by Pajamas Media just days ago for reporting outright fabrications of a “massacre” that never occurred.
Although I can’t answer to the cause of the problem, I humbly offer permission to media outlets to republish excerpts of the dispatch or the dispatch in its entirety, including my photographs from the story (if used as they are in the dispatch) at no cost during the month of July 2007. I only ask that the site receive proper attribution and that any publication taking me up on the offer email the website with the details.
If much of mainstream media does not recognize barbarity, clearly their readers can and do. Readers throughout the world might consider contacting their local papers and favorite websites with the link to this update. The story is very important in that it is well-documented with photos and video, and the Iraqi and American soldiers who were present are named and easily reachable. Those mainstream reporters currently in Baqubah could readily take up the baton.
Michael Yon does not receive funding or financial support from Fox News, movie, book or television deals at this time. He is entirely reader supported. He relies on his readers to help him replace his equipment and cover his expenses so that he may remain in Iraq and bring you the stories of our soldiers. If you value his work, please consider supporting his mission.
Original report form Iraq
Sounds to me like a gauntlet has been thrown down.
Wonder who’ll pick it up?
Not the MSM. They’re too busy reporting the hourly adventures of Brittany Hilton.
Face it: the MSM will do nothing to help any perception that we might be right in the Iraq war. Nothing.
MSM, Hill and Obama, etc., will blame GW and the republican party for children’s beheadings. ‘He started the war, it’s all his fault.’
Heck, I can solve this one - just post an initial story that it was U.S. troops who did it and watch the reporters fall over themselves to get there. That isn’t even funny, it’s true.
al Qaeda is without doubt the most abjectly evil mob of barbarians I’ve seen. This glimpse of the beast is all anyone should need to see, which explains why the MSM hasn’t talked about it.
Someone please explain to me again how Islam is the “Religion of Peace.”
The MSM will never do that. This would blow the DEMs’ plan of surrendering in Iraq “so that we can go take care of al-Qaeda.” What a messy web of lies the MSM and the DEMs have made out of real issues facing our nation today.
In fact, just writing this makes my blood boil at the stupidity that the DEMs and MSM try and feed Americans. It’s Independence Day, I think I am going to go kick a liberals butt — which takes no more than going up to them and going “Booooo!”
Fixed.
The sad part is the determination of the left to allow it, assist it, in destroying civilization in the process.
I sent this story to 10 of my friends, hopefully they sent it to 10 of their friends, who sent it to 10 of their friends....
We have to replace the media. The immigration bill showed it can be done.
unless jorge bush is caught with the machete in his hand....the msm won’t report beheading of children by al queda.....
if there was a way to blame bush and the republicans....the msm would be broadcasting the sotry 24/7!!!!
PING
You Freepers don’t understand the finer workings of the MSM so I’ll explain it to you. The media has a more important job to do rather than reporting on these kids, they have to watch out that our soldiers aren’t putting nylon panties on prisoners’ heads which I guess is a more horrendous offence over there and with the liberal media.
Well stated,thak youand happy 4th.
bump
It just doesn’t rise to the same level of brutality as putting panties on people’s heads.....
PING
GOOD REPORT ABOUT OUR TROOPS! This is from www.prayercentral.net - Wayne Dillard.
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From Singapore to the USA, I wanted to wish you a very blessed 4th of July.
Eat a hot dog for me.
Here’s a great story that just came in from a chaplain in Iraq. (thanks Adopt-a-Chaplain for sharing this)
We can be very proud of the men and women who serve us and the United States of America
Feel free to pass on . . . I just spent last week clandestinely inserting in, in the middle of the night, with hundreds of other Paratroopers, walked up on Bad Guy houses and captured men killing people, then took over other homes as a Patrol Base only to have the women there tell me their husbands had either been abducted by Iraq National Police, or taken and shot by Al-Qaeda insurgents who extort and threaten, with death, the people of their village. I watched our Soldiers operate 24 hours a day in 115 heat with 100 pounds of gear on, sleep on tile floors, with no A/C, or water, or bathrooms, before going back out on patrol. I watched them play with children, steal nothing, be polite to the women of the house, and leave the houses in better condition that we found them, while also paying them a rather generous sum for the use of their property for 24 hours before moving on to do the same elsewhere . . . and when we left, these Iraqis BEGGED us to stay and THANKED us for protecting them and keeping the “bad people” from terrorizing them and their children.
I’m sure that’s not the story everywhere, but that was the ground truth where I did my time last week . . .
- Ch, J.H.
Don’t forget to pray for the troops today at:
http:/prayercentral.net/baghdad/today
Blessings,
Wayne Dillard
www.prayercentral.net
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