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Prelim Analysis - Mutiny Story is Set Up - call for a Post 47
Various - Daily News, Salon, ^ | 10/17/04 | Self

Posted on 10/17/2004 6:56:37 AM PDT by Phsstpok

The earlier thread about the October Surprise "Mutiny" hit piece on this mornings Today show prompted me to do some Googling to try to see if there were any connections of note.  I felt that even the little evidence I found warranted a quick heads up and (forgive me) a separate thread as a call to action.  I have no particular standing to do this, but this concerned me enough to fire off a flare.

It looks like the extreme left is orchestrating an October Surprise propaganda campaign against the war in Iraq and President Bush by staging a "mutiny" of reserve troops (appears to be 5 of 'em, when you get down to it) and playing it the way they played Abu Gharib. 

First, the basic story.  Reports surfaced on Friday, the 15th, that troops in Iraq had refused a "suicide mission" and were under arrest and held in close guard.  A small handful of "frantic" family members began reporting "unfair practices" and "unsafe conditions," desperately calling on (the usual suspects) politicians to save their loved ones from cruel fate.

Some excerpts:

Daily News, October 17, 2004:

'All of us refused to go'

Calls, E-mails explain troops' alleged mutiny

The military has begun punishing some of the 19 Army reservists who balked at what they called a "suicide mission" and a "death sentence" in Iraq last week.

Some members of the South Carolina-based 343rd Quartermaster Company refused to transport fuel between the Iraqi cities of Tallil and Taji Wednesday morning, saying they had no protection for the dangerous trip.

now here's the kicker from the Daily News piece:

Citizen Soldier, a New York-based, nonprofit military rights group, has offered ... its help.

Citizen Soldier is not a "military rights group."  It is a virulently anti-American and anti-Military extreme left front group.  Their motto on their web site is: "Prepared to Challenge U.S. Militarism in the New Millenium."

Citizen Soldier also has close ties to John Kerry, as it's director Tod Ensign, was one of the organizers of Kerry's discredited Winter Soldier propaganda event in 1969, along with Jeremy Rifkin.  This connection is the one that set off my alarm bells.

I couldn't figure the Mississippi angle till I found this in The Clarion-Ledger of Hattiesberg, Mississippi:

Platoon with Mississippi soldiers defies orders 17 soldiers placed under arrest in Iraq

A 17-member Army Reserve platoon with troops from Jackson and around the Southeast deployed to Iraq is under arrest for refusing a "suicide mission" to deliver fuel, the troops' relatives said Thursday. The soldiers refused an order on Wednesday to go to Taji, Iraq - north of Baghdad - because their vehicles were considered "deadlined" or extremely unsafe, said Patricia McCook of Jackson, wife of Sgt. Larry O. McCook.

and again, buried in the piece, is the clue to the source and spin:

U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson said he plans to submit a congressional inquiry today on behalf of the Mississippi soldiers to launch an investigation into whether they are being treated improperly.

Bennie Thompson is one of the more radical members of the Black Caucus.  He is a leader in the "fair play for Fidel Castro" movement in Congress.  He is often the designated "hit man" in attacking minority members of the Bush Administration, particularly Dr. Condoleezza Rice.  He was a rabid Deaniac, but shifted his loyalty to Kerry when Dean fell on his own scream.

The Salon hit piece ties this squarely to the Washington/DNC/Carville slime machine:

Revolt in the ranks in Iraq

The inside story of the Army platoon that refused to carry out a "death sentence" mission.

is by Mary Jocoby, Salon's Washington Correspondent.  Jacoby is one of Salon's "reliable" writers who can always be counted on to spew hate at George Bush, in particular, and Republicans in general.  She rates Seymour Hersh as a "crack investigative reporter" and has authored anti-Bush hit pieces such as  "The Dunce," "George W. Bush's Missing Year" and "Swaggering toward Election Day."

What is truly amazing about these pieces on the "mutiny" is that they appear to have been ready to go before the incident took place.  These folks had their stories straight and remarkably consistent in record time, even before the news had reached the regular news cycle on CNN, who jumped on this in record time. 

Folks, this is a set up.  But it's a set up that, like many of the Kerry camps dirty tricks, they've had to fire off prematurely to try to distract the news media from a Kerry gaffe.  Pulling the trigger on this was timed to try and keep the disastrous Mary Cheney attack off of the Sunday morning talk shows.  These soldiers are pawns who were told that they would be used to unseat a sitting President (with undoubted hints of vast rewards from a Kerry administration) but they are being sacrificed, just like pushing a pawn, to protect the dims' king.


TOPICS: Activism/Chapters; Crime/Corruption; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2004electionbias; agitprop; antiamericanism; bush; citizensoldier; democrattraitors; dirtytricks; election; enemywithin; howtostealanelection; iraq; kerry; kerrycampaign; kerrylegacy; loathethemilitary; mediabias; morale; msm; mutiny; octobermutiny; octobersurprise; post47; propaganda; rattricks; smearcampaign; taji; tallil; traitors; treason; usefulidiots; whispercampaign
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To: Phsstpok
The platoon being held has troops from Alabama, Kentucky, North Carolina, Mississippi and South Carolina, said Teresa Hill of Dothan, Ala., whose daughter Amber McClenny is among those being detained.

But Teresa Hill, of Jackson, Miss., played a desperate message from her daughter Amber McClenny in which McClenny asked her to contact her congressman and "raise pure hell."

the first one is from indymedia.org.uk the second from nydailynews.com

Probably not important but might be needed for search purposes. Probably just a typo.

101 posted on 10/17/2004 10:13:30 AM PDT by Allosaurs_r_us (Carnivores for Conservatives!)
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To: Allosaurs_r_us

FReepers are THE BEST ... BTTT


102 posted on 10/17/2004 10:16:34 AM PDT by Pegita ('Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, just to take Him at His Word ...)
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To: Phsstpok
Gen. Vows Review of Iraq Safety Measures

BAGHDAD, Iraq - The U.S. Army will study protective measures for supply vehicles and add steel plating to vehicles if necessary, a general said Sunday, after members of a Reserve unit refused to deliver supplies down a dangerous route in Iraq partly because they were concerned their vehicles were in poor shape.

Brig. Gen. James E. Chambers, commanding general of 13th Corps Support Command, said all soldiers involved in the incident had returned to duty and it was "too early" to determine whether any of them will face disciplinary action.

Chambers told reporters the command will "assess armor" on supply vehicles, which are often subject to insurgent attack, and add steel plating if necessary.

He denied claims by some of the soldiers to their families that the fuel they were to deliver was contaminated.

The Army announced last week it was investigating up to 19 members of a platoon from the 343rd Quartermaster Company based in Rock Hill, South Carolina after they refused to transport supplies from Tallil air base near Nassiriyah to Taji north of Baghdad.

On Wednesday, the 19 did not show up for a scheduled 7 a.m. meeting in Tallil to prepare for the fuel convoy's departure a few hours later, a military statement said.

The mission was carried out by other soldiers from the 343rd, which has at least 120 members, the military said.

Chambers has since ordered the 343rd to undergo a "safety-maintenance stand down," during which it will conduct no further missions as the unit's vehicles are inspected, the military said.

The platoon has troops from Alabama, Kentucky, North Carolina, Mississippi and South Carolina.

103 posted on 10/17/2004 10:18:13 AM PDT by TexKat (Just because you did not see it or read it, that does not mean it did or did not happen.)
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To: browardchad
Another thought on the "contaminated oil" story. It might be difficult for the five ringleaders to convince all 19 members of the squad to disobey orders based on safety concerns, but it would be easier if they could be convinced they were actually doing the miltary a service by preventing contaminated oil from being used in helicopters.

I'll bet you're right - makes it sound like it was well planned out in advance.

104 posted on 10/17/2004 10:19:23 AM PDT by mollynme (cogito, ergo freepum)
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To: TommyDale
Larry McCook looks like Eddie Murphy!

It's interesting that the AP (via the Austin Statesman) chose to use a mugshot-type photo of McCook in the story. Even though he's an employee, not an inmate, it doesn't have a positive association....

105 posted on 10/17/2004 10:19:48 AM PDT by browardchad
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To: GVgirl

It has been said that it was a lawful order. Proper channels were not used. They refused an order & while they were being questioned about it, one of them called "home", asking for help & the parent's Congressman was called in.

Follow the "tainted fuel" aspect to this story.


106 posted on 10/17/2004 10:19:59 AM PDT by GoLightly (If it doesn't kill ya, it makes ya stronger.)
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To: LittleSpotBlog

Just my thoughts--since this is a MS unit, I believe Mr. Thompson and co. may have orchestrated it by suggestion, inuendo, etc., thus getting the desired results without bribing or doing something so overt as to leave a connectiong trail. However, the background of Citizen Soldier and therir involvement should be news (but won't be to MSM) and maybe some of the conservative media or even the swiftboat vets could get involved to get this out, as it is obvious it is the same type of anti-war stuff the VVAW put out. If the MSM really grab it, like they seem to be doing, with a few pushes by DNC operatives, it has a couple of weeks to work up to the full-throated hew and cry of Abu Graieb. And I have an idea they have other surprises in store, too. Our election process is in trouble on all fronts thanks to the compliance of MSM and the viciousness of the DNC.

We simply cannot afford to ignore this. I just wish I could do more, but am hopeless at internet research. Thanks for posting this. I can sure connect the dots.

vaudine


107 posted on 10/17/2004 10:21:08 AM PDT by vaudine
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To: HighWheeler

I don't think they have to "pin it on Bush." All they would have to do is to make it look like Iraq is a mess, and having troops on the ground commiting mutiny would do that. Even it if isn't a setup, look for Kerry spokemen to bring this up as evidence of a "quagmire".


108 posted on 10/17/2004 10:21:23 AM PDT by TN4Liberty (John Kerry has more positions than the Kama Sutra)
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To: MistyCA

The disgusting Scott Camil lives in my town, Gainesville, FL, where he is now a well-known Dem activist. Does he have any other connection with this incident other than his participation in this "Call to Conscience" stuff? I'm curious because of the local connection.


109 posted on 10/17/2004 10:25:18 AM PDT by livius
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To: Phsstpok
We agree this is a setup.

In church this morning, an elderly woman stood up during the prayer requests and announced that her great grandniece is one of the 17 reservists (her sister's granddaughter). The reservist's name is Amber and her mother is supposed to be on the Today show Monday or Tuesday.

The elderly woman said the 17 reservists had just attempted to deliver fuel to another base. The fuel delivery was refused because it was contaminated. Upon their return to their base, they were told to make another fuel delivery to another base. The reservists allegedly refused. She said their equipment was old and they would have to travel through a hot spot. She also said that they were held under armed guard despite news reports to the contrary. She said she was there to tell the rest of the story.

Did anyone else get to hear a similar story in their church today? Our belief is we got to hear the DNC talking points in church today.

110 posted on 10/17/2004 10:26:07 AM PDT by No Income Tax
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To: Phsstpok; RebelDS; The Loan Arranger; L98Fiero; ducks1944; LoudRepublicangirl; smonk; somniferum; ..

Mississippi ping


111 posted on 10/17/2004 10:26:29 AM PDT by WKB (3! ~ Psa. 12 8 The wicked freely strut about when what is vile is honored among men.")
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To: TexKat
Thanks, got it and it's added to the list. I have the same AP story as posted in the Boston Globe, but the title is different:

U.S. general promises to review protective measures for supply vehicles after reservists refuse mission in Iraq

I'm going through both versions to see if there are any other "editorial" changes, other than the titles.

112 posted on 10/17/2004 10:27:00 AM PDT by Phsstpok (often wrong, but never in doubt)
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To: livius

Oh yes. He is the one who pulled together the Vets for Kerry. He was involved with Kerry in the anti-war activities in the 70's. He is the one who called for the assassination of the Senators (the Phoenix Project). He has quite a history that is easily examined on the web.


113 posted on 10/17/2004 10:31:12 AM PDT by MistyCA (I think if you were to ask Edward's wife, who is fat, she would tell you she is being who she is...)
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To: Phsstpok
I think we all need to calm down. What a conspiracy theory requires is that somebody political convinced the five instigators to lead a mutiny in wartime so that the Democrats might win the election, after which (if they did win) they could arrange to pardon the mutineers and otherwise reward them.

Any potential mutineer who'd buy that would get excited over an email from Nigeria. Do we really think our troops are that dumb?

114 posted on 10/17/2004 10:31:22 AM PDT by Grut
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To: browardchad

I read that it was helicopter fuel contaminated with diesel fuel, not water.

In another thread, the story is being spun to say they are acting like heroes for refusing to deliever the stuff, potentially saving other's lives.

Their story is two pronged, mission too dangerous & the fuel taint angle.


115 posted on 10/17/2004 10:32:31 AM PDT by GoLightly (If it doesn't kill ya, it makes ya stronger.)
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To: Truth29

I saw that too!!


116 posted on 10/17/2004 10:32:53 AM PDT by GoLightly (If it doesn't kill ya, it makes ya stronger.)
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To: vaudine
this is a MS unit

It's a South Carolina unit, I believe. Only one or two of the folks I've ID'd so far are from Mississippi (I had to sing the song in my head as I spelled that...).

We need to work outwards from the 5 "ringleaders" to the 17-19 platoon members and find out who they are and what their connections are.

I'm building and updating a list with the names, connections and quotes as I identify them.

McCook, from Mississippi, is a prison guard in or near Thompson's district. Thomspson has been riding conditions in institutions, particularly juvenile detention and prisons, as a political issue. I'm trying to research any political connections there.

117 posted on 10/17/2004 10:35:03 AM PDT by Phsstpok (often wrong, but never in doubt)
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To: Phsstpok
"What are their connections to the Democrats in general and to the extreme left and the Kerry campaign in particular?"

My first question when I heard this story. . .

118 posted on 10/17/2004 10:36:44 AM PDT by cricket (Don't lose your head. . vote Republican. . .)
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To: Phsstpok

Thanks for the info. Thought I read or heard the dissidents in the unit were MS guardsmen.

vaudine


119 posted on 10/17/2004 10:37:21 AM PDT by vaudine
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To: Phsstpok

bump


120 posted on 10/17/2004 10:37:52 AM PDT by dalebert
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