Good News in Iraq Being Ignored, Rumsfeld Says

DoD-AFPS ^ | May 12, 2004 | Gerry J. Gilmore

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Good News in Iraq Being Ignored, Rumsfeld Says

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, May 12, 2004 – Revelations of alleged abuses committed against detainees by U.S. soldiers at Abu Gharaib prison in Iraq are indeed "terrible," the Pentagon's top civilian acknowledged today in testimony before a Senate subcommittee.

However, such alleged acts, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld pointed out to members of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, "certainly don't represent Americans or the American military."

And the "enormous progress" being made in Iraq, Rumsfeld asserted, is "getting ignored" by the media.

Schools and hospitals have been renovated and reopened since the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime, the secretary noted. Oil "is pumping," he observed, and Iraq has a new currency.

New Iraqi government ministries have been established ahead of the June 30 turnover of sovereignty, he noted, while provincial and municipal governments have been set up across the country.

In fact, 80 to 90 percent of Iraqis are "being governed by local councils," Rumsfeld reported. Yet, he lamented, "all we hear about are the problems."

Rumsfeld vowed to get to the bottom of allegations of detainee abuse in Afghanistan and Iraq. Yet, he cautioned Senators that more revelations of abuse "will come out in the days and weeks ahead, because we've got six investigations looking into all of this."

He said more information would become freely available to the public as the military investigations run their course.

Such a transparent process is a good thing, the secretary said, and "tells a whale of a lot about our country."

The secretary said he believes U.S.-coalition efforts in Iraq will ultimately be successful.

"And we're going to keep at it," he declared.

Biography:
Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld

Related Site:
Prepar ed Testimony of Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense

Related Article:
Rumsfeld Praises Iraqi Security Forces, Says to Expect Ups and Downs

[Soaring Feather]

bump!!!

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

"You must have missed the program. "

I saw the whole program.
I didn't miss the whole 8 minutes of it.
The 1st 15 was Iraqi abuse.
After the 8 minutes was Bush and Rumsfeld bashing.
And of course Hanoi Kerry got odd scott free.

[rwfromkansas]

Yeah, as long as you are on their list, you can print press releases. Will maybe have to do that (once school starts up again in the fall).

[Spunky]

I saw the whole program. I didn't miss the whole 8 minutes of it. The 1st 15 was Iraqi abuse. After the 8 minutes was Bush and Rumsfeld bashing. And of course Hanoi Kerry got odd scott free.

I missed all of that. I guess I was only focused in on the good stuff. :-)

[boxsmith13]

maybe because your adminstration isnt doing its job getting the word out

[blackie]

Rumsfeld ~ Big Time ~ Bump!

We are winning ~ the bad guys are losing ~ trolls, terrorists, democrats and the mainstream media are sad ~ very sad!

~~ Bush/Cheney 2004 ~~

[Laura Earl]

At work today, we had a speaker who served in the 101st Airborne last year, and he was appalled at the media coverage when he returned home last September.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

It was a GREAT 8 minutes.
The rest of the program was anti-military and anti-Bush.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

"At work today, we had a speaker who served in the 101st Airborne last year,
and he was appalled at the media coverage when he returned home last September."

I hear the same thing from active duty FReepers who have come home.

[Laura Earl]

Dang sad situation!!! What is being "reported" and reality aren't even touching.

[MeekOneGOP]

FOX, CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC

I would NEVER consider watching any of the networks listed after FOX News.

FOX is light years ahead of the others.

I must say that my opinion of O'Reilly has gone down significantly in the last year or so.

But Brit Hume is GREAT! I like Tony Snow also.

I will NOT watch the other Networks that you list. They are AWFUL, imho.

FOX is it for me.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

"FOX is light years ahead of the others."

I USED to think the same thing.
It's a shame BUT they have been going downhill for about 4 years now.

[PhiKapMom]

Am on their list and also the one for the AF -- you find news there you won't see in the regular media.

[Alamo-Girl]

Bump!

[MeekOneGOP]

I USED to think the same thing. It's a shame BUT they have been going downhill for about 4 years now.

Okay. Fair enough. But when you list your media rant, you always put FOX first on your list. That makes me think that you rate Peter Jennings, Wolf Blitzer, Dan Rather, and whoever ahead of Brit Hume and Fred Barnes. Is that how you feel ?? Brit and Fred do a FINE job and I think the world of both of them. I don't even think of them on the same plane as those A$$holes I listed above. No way. FOX News does NOT even belong on the list at all.

I just do NOT see putting FOX News in the same category as those trashy networks. ALL those others HATE President Bush and I cannot see putting FOX in the same category as them. FOX's news reports are way better. Sorry, but I feel pretty strongly about pitching the good guys in the trash with the bad guys.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

No. They've been getting the word out. Every member of the press has ready access to the sources, the daily news from the DoD - and they know very well where to find it.

The two voices most neglected by the mainstream press - our troops, and the majority of Iraqis - victims of Saddam Hussein's brutal regime....are those paying the highest price in Iraq.

Our free press has room for quotes from Baa'thist enemies, pols, pundits, and special interest war critics - unverified facts and unreliable sources.

They just plain lie - misrepresent our troops, and our war efforts daily - emboldening our enemies by hyping the negative - giving them far more credit than they deserve, while undermining morale, and the reputation of our far mightier, more capable - and honorable military - by ignoring their daily good works, enemies captured and killed at great risk to brave men and women facing and fighting them - thousands of individual victories - acts of valor, and kindness.

Our free press has been pulling this act, endangering our troops, undermining our war efforts, from day one.

The facts (as Rummy might accurately say) are verifiable.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

I used to be a FOX News fan.
Election 2000 taught me different.
If you recall all 5 of the TV and Cable newrooms,
(which all own 20% of VNS),
released FL voting results BEFORE the 2nd time zone in FL had closed.
ALL 5 tried to give it to Gore.
THERE are good people with FOX BUT overall they are no better than the others.
NONE of them covered the LIVE Press Conference with the Swift Boat Vets in it's entirety.
Instead they ran "snippets" and tried to justify Hanoi Kerry.
When I see FOX give Hanoi Kerry as much bad PR
as President Bush I'll once again believe "fair and balanced."

[HiTech RedNeck]

And, Saddam is gone.

[Valin]

Good News in Iraq Being Ignored, Rumsfeld Says

Not here it isn't! Thanks to a certain Cowgirl.

[Valin]

The secretary said he believes U.S.-coalition efforts in Iraq will ultimately be successful.

"And we're going to keep at it," he declared.


"If we are facing in the right direction,
all we have to do is keep on walking."
Buddhist Saying