RUMSFELD SET UP; REPORTER PLANTED QUESTIONS WITH SOLDIER (DRUDGE SIREN)

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[Nascardude]

RUMSFELD SET UP; REPORTER PLANTED QUESTIONS WITH SOLIDER
Thu Dec 09 2004 11:49:38 ET

Chattanooga Times Free Press reporter Edward Lee Pitts is embedded with the 278th Regimental Combat Team, now in Kuwait preparing to enter Iraq, and is filing articles for his newspaper. Pitts claims in a purported email that he coached soldiers to ask Defense Secretary Rumsfeld questions!

From: EDWARD LEE PITTS, Chattanooga Times Free Press military reporter
Sent: Wednesday, December 8, 2004 4:44 PM
To: Staffers

Subject: RE: Way to go

I just had one of my best days as a journalist today. As luck would have it, our journey North was delayed just long enough see I could attend a visit today here by Defense Secretary Rumsfeld. I was told yesterday that only soldiers could ask questions so I brought two of them along with me as my escorts. Before hand we worked on questions to ask Rumsfeld about the appalling lack of armor their vehicles going into combat have. While waiting for the VIP, I went and found the Sgt. in charge of the microphone for the question and answer session and made sure he knew to get my guys out of the crowd.

So during the Q&A session, one of my guys was the second person called on. When he asked Rumsfeld why after two years here soldiers are still having to dig through trash bins to find rusted scrap metal and cracked ballistic windows for their Humvees, the place erupted in cheers so loud that Rumsfeld had to ask the guy to repeat his question. Then Rumsfeld answered something about it being "not a lack of desire or money but a logistics/physics problem." He said he recently saw about 8 of the special up-armored Humvees guarding Washington, DC, and he promised that they would no longer be used for that and that he would send them over here. Then he asked a three star general standing behind him, the commander of all ground forces here, to also answer the question. The general said it was a problem he is working on.

The great part was that after the event was over the throng of national media following Rumsfeld- The New York Times, AP, all the major networks -- swarmed to the two soldiers I brought from the unit I am embedded with. Out of the 1,000 or so troops at the event there were only a handful of guys from my unit b/c the rest were too busy prepping for our trip north. The national media asked if they were the guys with the armor problem and then stuck cameras in their faces. The NY Times reporter asked me to email him the stories I had already done on it, but I said he could search for them himself on the Internet and he better not steal any of my lines. I have been trying to get this story out for weeks- as soon as I foud out I would be on an unarmored truck- and my paper published two stories on it. But it felt good to hand it off to the national press. I believe lives are at stake with so many soldiers going across the border riding with scrap metal as protection. It may be to late for the unit I am with, but hopefully not for those who come after.

The press officer in charge of my regiment, the 278th, came up to me afterwords and asked if my story would be positive. I replied that I would write the truth. Then I pointed at the horde of national media pointing cameras and mics at the 278th guys and said he had bigger problems on his hands than the Chattanooga Times Free Press. This is what this job is all about - people need to know. The solider who asked the question said he felt good b/c he took his complaints to the top. When he got back to his unit most of the guys patted him on the back but a few of the officers were upset b/c they thought it would make them look bad. From what I understand this is all over the news back home.

Thanks,

Lee

EDWARD LEE PITTS FILED STORY ABOUT THE TROOPS BEFORE THE POW-WOW WITH RUMSFELD

Developing...

[txradioguy]

Waaah....waaah...I'm a supply clerk in a REMF unit and I'm gonna whine cause I don't have the same highspeed toys that the guys in an SF ODA have! IT'S NOT FAIR!!!

Why do I have to drive to BIAP in my old 1984 Hummer to go to Burger King when those guys over in 13th Tank get to ride the roads in those Abrahams Tanks???? WAAAHHHH! /sarcasm

[Palladin]

George Walker Bush...

and evey other US President has had three names.

[Santana]

Excuse my asking, but what does PNTR stand for?

[WRhine]

My objection is to bashing the soldier, and the LACK OF PRODUCTION in the USA. I blame the "kool-aid" drinkers for bashing the soldier, and I blame the GOP for striping the USA of it manufacturing base. I have been screaming like hell for many many years about so called "free trade". And my memory is that every damn trade deal was pushed hard by the GOP. And now we can't produce the armor the troops claim to need.

I couldn't agree more. The chickens are coming home to roost on the GOP's complicity in enacting One Way Trade Deals that have shorn America of its industrial base. Many of us have been talking about the dangers and implications of this for years.

[txradioguy]

". We never know what the next dust up will be like, and having 60 tons of armor around you is a good thing!"


Having been involved in raids in the Abu Ghraib area of Baghdad at 0430 in the morning I can attest to the security of "60 tons of armor" watching your back.

[Palladin]

It does sound harsh. How can we win a war with an US vs. THEM mentality--the us and the them all being our own guys???

[alnick]

I thought the most disturbing part of the whole thing was the cheering. It makes it look as if there is a LOT of disgruntled troops, and that's just what the Libs like to hear.

The first time I saw the clip, I had the impression that there was only a smattering of applause. The second time I saw it, the clip ran longer, and I heard prolonged applause and an almost unanimous standing ovation.

I don't think strong feelings on the issue of armor indicates anyone is generally disgruntled. I really think people are making way more out of this than there is.

The armor thing is an issue. It's being addressed. Most everyone feels strongly about it.

These troops have their hearts in what they're doing, and they're doing a fantastic job. They've been treated with respect in having been allowed to address the SOD.

[Palladin]

Poor Pitts. Definitely a case of shooting the messenger.

But the message DID get out--all the way to the top.

Now let's see what our President will do about it.

I imagine there will be a couple of closed door meetings with Mr. Rumsfeld when he returns from his overseas jaunt.

[Palladin]

If you boys don't quit your whining back there, I'm gonna turn this car around and take you back home!

[cake_crumb]

There is nobody "bashing" the soldier, beyond the norm you'd expect for the usual moron. The soldier would get the same treatment if he'd welded himself to a water main in protest of town sewers or something, then had to be cut loose by a rescue crew. The boy allowed himself to be manipulated and is therefore culpable for his actions.

The GOP had nothing to do with - it's "stripping", with two "P"s not "striping"; that's three times you've spelled it the same way so you can use the correction WITHOUT a flame - our manufacturing base. You aren't very old, or you'd know that the steelworkers unions and AFLCIO did that in the 70's. It was a slippery, downhill slope from there - ending with Bubba's campaign for, and successful signature of, his Beijing buddies' permanent meal ticket. Oh yeah, and Bubba ALSO promised we'd sign Kyoto, whoosh EXEMPTS China, the world's largest industrial polluter, from having to pay a dime in spread the wealth pollution fees. Fortunately, nobody in congress was stupid enough to ratify that.

This incident has nothing to do with free trade. The administration could propose money for new steel mills, which would be delayed in congress while the media, third partiests and Democrats verbally marched around beating on the deficit drums and THEN they'd have to be built and outfitted, workers hired, union contracts argued...and the Hummers would have armor no faster than they would at the rate we're manufacturing currently. It would probably take well into the next century the way union lawyers work.

I'm going to bed to catch a few hours in anticipation of another very long day. It was nice debating with you. YOU at least seem to think about the posts you're reading. You're neither Kool-Aid material nor a good third party bot. Stay that way.

[cake_crumb]

PNTR=Permanent Normal Trade Relations

[ex 98C MI Dude]

I feel like such a piker. Only got shot at once. Once too many, because the 'powers that be' didn't issue any ammo in Korea. Thank God for the ROKAs that took care of the NKs on the south side of the orange panels.

I'm glad you made it out okay. We really need to re-think our strategy overall, because we are losing too many in /spit/insurgent/spit/ attacks. They aren't insurgents. They're terrorists, just like Mohammed Atta and his ilk.

[Santana]

PNTR. Thanks!

[jpsb]

"Twenty years from now, thirty years from now, sometime in the future, some future President will be sending troops back there (that is if they ever leave) to continue the WOT."

Nope if we are evicted or withdraw in failure, we will never go back there. We will pretty much be finished as a world power if we lose in Iraq.

Also Iraq is really three nations, Kurds, Shiite's and Sunnis. Things are going well with the Kurds, and the Shiite's aren't making to much trouble. Our problems is with the Sunnis and foreign fighters. I fully expect us to succeed in Iraq now that Fallugah has been taken.

This is a mind boggling mission, imagine what history will think of our soldiers, sailors and Marines then 2000 years from now they learn now the USA civilized the middle east just like the Romans civilized Europe 2000 years ago. History, real history is in the making here, Rumsfield and Bush might make the short list of names to remember.

[cyncooper]

Nope. You're giving false information.

I am a conservative who relates the exact truth and fact of the matter. I've seen the clip several times and most around the speaker don't move their hands or make any noise at all.

As to your gratuitous comment about the "official line", it sounds like you have a "line" you follow and you don't let facts make you deviate

I find that disgusting.

[txradioguy]

Have anyone else but me noticed that 99% of the whining and complaints and trouble being reported in Iraq are coming from National Guard troops?


Now before anyone tries to flame me for bashing the Guard....I've been a Guardsmen so I can talk.

The people you are hearing complain are the ones who joined the national Guard for the "one weekend a month two weeks a year" enlistment pitch.

They...over time forgot the OTHER parts of their contract that tell them that the DoD can do to them EXACTLY what is happening now.

So now...when they have to live up to ALL of their obligations as a "Citizen Soldier"...they act more like whining citizens than they do principled soldiers.

And that is grist for the MSM Anti-Bush/Iraq mill.

[ex 98C MI Dude]

Two words... Beer money.

I can't knock the NGs over there now, but I can see why the NG recruiters are having trouble making quota. Wasn't a dangerous job again until recently.

I wonder if they'll take an old trooper with bad knees? I think I'll head down there tomorrow and ask. Somebody's gotta do it. Why not me?

[jpsb]

You're neither Kool-Aid material nor a good third party bot. Stay that way.

Thanks, I pretty much vote GOP, so since they are my guys I like to bash them with vigor.

[Enlightiator]

But the message DID get out--all the way to the top.

Yes, and I am so glad that it did. This is one case where freepers are saying the media (Pitts) used a soldier, but in the end, the soldiers used the media to get the word out to everyone. Good for them. And Mr. Pitts, you shouldn't have contributed to the question, but thank you for your service.

[to_zion]

MCINTYRE: Now, the Pentagon has just issued a statement in which it said that these town hall meetings are for the soldiers to interact with the secretary, and that it, quote, "would be unfortunate to discover anyone might have interfered with that."

However, the newspaper involved, "The Chattanooga Times Free Press," we contacted the editor and managing editor and publisher of the paper. He said the question was legitimate and he's supportive of how his reporter managed to get it asked -- Lou.

DOBBS: Well, I sure hope, Jamie, that the Pentagon's far more worried about the troops who don't have adequate armor than whether or not a reporter embedded with the military was working with a couple soldiers to frame a question. They're not, are they?

MCINTYRE: Well -- well, this statement says as well that the Pentagon is -- takes the issue seriously and is addressing it aggressively. Again today, the Pentagon outlined the -- the steps that they're taking to -- to make sure that armor is put on those vehicles as fast as they can do it.

DOBBS: You know, Jamie, to hear the words "taking an issue seriously and addressing it aggressively" 19 months after the end of major combat operations in Iraq says something either about the public relations center or the Pentagon's command structure itself.

Jamie, thank you very much. Jamie McIntyre, senior Pentagon correspondent

Secretary Rumsfeld's response, that we go to the Army that we have, does not explain why nearly two years later our military leaders have tolerated a continuing shortage of armor-plated Humvees in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

--- CNN Transcript from Lou Dobbs tonight.

Lou Dobbs again is right on the money. It's funny how a lot of the Freepers here are complaining and such, yet none of you are over in Iraq at the moment (or were). I'm sure you would want the utmost protection available.