Posted on 12/09/2004 9:22:17 AM PST by Nascardude
Edited on 12/09/2004 10:05:10 AM PST by Admin Moderator. [history]
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...
It most certainly was. That was plain yesterday by the deceitful "reporting" by the MSM of the questions AND answers of this entire event.
The framing of this story *in the media* has everything to do with making it appear the administration is apathetic, inept, disinterested, incompetent, cavalier with our troops' lives and so on.
It also serves to encourage the troops to become distrustful and resentful of their leadership.
According to Free Republic's 11-star generals-in-residence, Rumsfeld's supposed to be personally welding armor onto Humvees.
Oh, so you were there and knew what was going on?
Please, inform us all of what REALLY went down.
You're just a regular Sam Spade arnt ya. "papers please" LOL.
"I support my president but I support the troops first"
I agree. If the troops have to dig through trash bins in an effort to protect themselves, it's shameful.
Papers please.
Any fruits or vegetables to declare?
Has anyone handled your post without your knowledge?
;-[ Vlah! Vlah!
Ummm .. maybe that you are looking to find anything to dump on Rummy???
It is obvious to me the Bureaucracy is the culprit here.
I agree .. bureaucracy is a problem but that has nothing to do with the article you posted
LOL
A good laugh is worth the time once in awhile.
Thanks!
I think we all need to take a breath. Both sides of this debate are right and both are wrong.
1. The MSM is a cancer. We know that. These embedded reporters have shown a propensity for hostility towards our efforts of late. This sleazeball fabricated a story by orchestrating part of an unrehearsed question-and-answer session with Rumsfeld and the troops. Where there would be no news, he created news. GUILTY AS CHARGED.
2. The troops ARE lacking the best armor for this battle. Regardless of the reporter, it's a fact. When the school where my wife teaches at has a staff fundraiser so one of her colleague's sons in the Marines can buy himself some Kevlar, there's something wrong. It's unconscionable that soldiers were expected to pay out of their pocket for this equipment.
3. Rumsfeld is not a god. Let's stop trying to pretend he is. There are Kool Aid drinkers on FR, too, and if you think Rumsfeld is incapable of failure, then you're living in a dreamworld.
4. The big picture. At the end of the day, who the f' cares about the NY Times, Reuters, the Hillbilly Sentinel-Inbreeder? If this can motivate the Pentagon to improve its planning (note - I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt) and make our military better-equipped, then we can condemn the reporter, but still agree that the sentiment is correct.
Anyone heard if this presstitute's paper has commented on this?
278th Prepares To Enter Iraq By Adding Armor To Vehicles
By: By EDWARD LEE PITTS/Chattanooga Times Free Press Source: The Greeneville Sun 12-08-2004Chattanooga 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. Those articles also are being posted on the Tennessee National Guard’s World Wide Web site at http://www.tnmilitary.org. The following article was posted on the National Guard’s Web site on Tuesday, Dec. 7.
CAMP BUEHRING, Kuwait — As 278th officials work to ensure that all vehicles heading into Iraq in the coming weeks are armored, some soldiers in the Tennessee National Guard unit have learned they will fly into enemy territory.
Maj. Bobbie Sprouse, the 278th's supply and logistics officer, said the regiment is to fly more than half of its soldiers to bases somewhere northeast of Baghdad.
Once at their permanent camps, the 278th is to take over armored vehicles now being used by the unit the 278th is replacing, Maj. Sprouse said.
The regiment of nearly 4,000 soldiers is in Kuwait preparing for a year-long deployment to Iraq near the Iranian border, as part of the 42nd Infantry Division. The past November tied the mark for deadliest month since the invasion began in the spring of 2003.
"The movement in (Iraq) is the most dangerous mission for the regiment as a whole," said Capt. Todd Woodruff, company commander of Service Battery, First Squadron. "They always test out the new units coming in, so we anticipate at least one action."
While some 278th soldiers were pleased about the prospect of a plane ride into Iraq, others said they didn't want to miss the ground convoy's adrenaline rush.
"That would be like going to Disney World and not riding the roller coaster," said Capt. Chris Brock, 43, human resources officer for Support Squadron.
Soldiers on the convoy are scrambling to craft their own armor for the vehicles they are taking into a combat zone. Stress levels rose late last week when nuts and bolts ran low.
Soldiers dug used ballistic windshields — which include bullet-hole sized cracks — out of trash bins and installed them on some vehicles.
”If it was lucky for one guy, maybe it will be lucky for us," said Staff Sgt. Allen Lewis, of Castalian Springs, Tenn., as he carted one off for his Humvee.
Spc. Kevin Nunley, 44, of Nashville, one of several wearing green coveralls over their uniforms at the makeshift armor upgrade shop, said soldiers would continue to apply quarter-inch thick sheet metal until they run out.
"We are gong to make it happen," he said after adding the metal to five vehicles.
Some Vehicles Upgraded
The 278th will carry a wider array of vehicles into combat than the commonly-used Humvees, which now can be upgraded with armor kits. The standard Humvee canvas doors and roofs can be replaced with steel.
Sgt. John Hughes, 43, of Athens, Tenn., said similar armor kits are available for the passenger cabs of the military's support vehicles. He said a handful of these vehicles in each of the 278th's three squadrons are getting the enhancement, including his wrecker, which was sent to nearby Camp Arifjan to be outfitted with ballistic windows, armor plating and air conditioning.
"But I've also been told I will be doing most of the recovery missions in Iraq, since mine will be up-armored," he said. "With good news comes bad news, I guess."
The collection of five-ton trucks, five-ton wreckers and other vehicles — including fuel trucks used to haul equipment, soldiers and ammunition — now sports portions of scrap metal on most doors. Thin sections of rusted metal stretch halfway across each vehicle's side windows to offer some protection without blocking the driver's view of the side mirrors.
Capt. Woodruff said he hopes the convoy displays enough force to keep insurgents away. He said he managed to “bulk up” his firepower by scrounging 12 more .50-caliber machine guns for the trip north.
Soldiers are traveling into an Iraq where insurgents attack with homemade bombs placed along the roads.
"They (insurgents) are trying to attack weak convoys, not strong convoys," said Staff Sgt. Brian Culberson, 28, of Cleveland, Tenn.
He said soldiers scrounging for extra armor are not unique to this war. He recently saw a magazine article about units in Vietnam scavenging steel for their vehicles.
"They had the same problem with convoys getting hit with guerrilla warfare," Sgt. Culberson said. "The odds of us getting hit are pretty slim, but it is still an odd."
Testing Weapons
To reduce the chances of an attack, 278th soldiers now are focusing on being able to move, shoot and communicate. Tires, oils, engines and radios are checked and rechecked while weapons are dismantled, cleaned and reassembled.
First Squadron's Service Battery recently spent two days test-firing weapons with live ammunition for the last time before the convoy. The soldiers passed herds of Bedouin camels on both sides of the road on the way to one of the 17 U.S.-operated firing ranges scattered in the Kuwaiti desert.
The officer in charge of the firing range warned the soldiers that camels often wander into the line of fire and must be chased away. If a soldier shoots one of the animals, it will cost the U.S. Army $30,000.
Soldiers spread out along the practice range took as few as three and as many as 18 shots to get their M-4 rifle sights adjusted for accuracy up to 300 meters.
After firing their personal weapons, Service Battery soldiers drove several miles under cloudy skies to another range and tested the sights on the heavy guns mounted on the roofs of their vehicles. The roar of the .50-caliber machine guns blasted the air as tiny streams of red fire streaked low across the desert and kicked up dust around targets 400 to 1,200 meters away.
Elsewhere, 278th M-1 Abrams tanks practiced hitting targets less than a meter in size from about two miles away.
Back at the tents, while officers hold planning meetings late into the night, soldiers spend their evenings getting mentally prepared for the long trek through Iraq. They play cards, watch movies, write letters, listen to music or just lie on their cots.
"There will be a lot of praying the night before," said Staff Sgt. David Harris, 47, of Cleveland, Tenn.
The result of the reporter doing this will make them even for irrelevant with the public.
This reporter's greatest day has proven his own undoing.
I think YOU are spinning this out of control.
Good grief. "Can we have more armor? - We're picking through junkyards here." I know for a fact it's true. It's not an unfair question. Rummy makes the big bucks to answer it. Our Army, our country, and this war can stand the question. I don't give a rip how the MSM spins it, I don't base right and wrong on that.
Exactly ...
Thank you for that link.
It shows what I said (as usual, if I may say) was true and disputes the false assertions of others that the "whole room" erupted in cheers and applause.
Obviously some who were sympathetic to the soldier applauded, but it was hardly the outburst of "at last! the problem that's been on all our minds!!!" reaction some tried to paint.
I guess I need to repeat, lest anyone misunderstand, I do not quarrel with the question. But I like to stick to facts and not make it up as I go.
Very good points.
If they will have armored vehicles, why did he say that they'd not have armour on vehicles to take up north with them?
This article conflicts with the soldiers question.
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