Wow. What story are you following?
I'm following a story where our troops are free to ask "tough questions" of their SOD, and asked such a question, which the SOD answered in a straightforward manner, and where the anti-American media ginned up the situation to begin with, reported it as if it were a spontaneous event, and then twisted the story to give the false impression that the SOD was embarrassed by the question and sidestepped it when what he did was answer it head on.
I'm ticked that the "journalist" exploited the NG troops and that the media, in typical fashion, has misreported the situation in an attempt to undermine our war effort.
exploited the NG troops - actually I just found out said soldier was a guest on Al Franken's Air America and is an activist - he just need professional help in formulating a question that would wow the media. The soldier was not manipulted - he had his agenda - which is his right of course.
I think it stinks and is disgraceful. My opinion of this whole business, if it did go down as it now seems, is 180 degrees from what it was a half hour ago.
It is one thing, worthy of respect, for someone to speak out for themselves and their buddies on a matter of principle, and to put themselves on the line.
It is quite another thing to have a leftist reporter, out to make a name for himself and out to make a buck, collaborate to attempt to embarrass a Secretary of Defense and the administration in general, while doing it on the back of a soldier.
Now, sure, the soldier may have known what he was doing. In actuality, look at the quote from this guys ex-wife:
"He is always like that," she said. "I don't think he understands the concept of biting one's tongue. It wouldn't matter if it was [President] Bush himself standing there. He would have dissed him the same."
So the issue for this soldier is not about information, it is about about taking advantage of his loudmouth personality and collaborating with a reporter with an agenda to "diss" the Secretary of Defense.
No damned wonder there was a mutiny in one of these groups.
And make no mistake about it. Look at the number one sentence from this POS reporter: "I just had one of my best days as a journalist today." This is all about him. He could give a rats ass about these guys. Anyone want to guess what the conversations are like when he gets these guys alone?
This just completely disgusts me and changes my whole perspective of this story. My opinion of this soldier has plummeted as well. I thought well of his gumption for asking the question. If, however, he collaborated beforehand on this, he is treading pretty close to the edge of what is acceptable in the military.
This makes me so damned angry. No wonder people see lawyers in a better light than anyone in the media. It is just damned disgusting, that selfish SOB reporter. It's all about him...look at the quote:
"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-..."
This scummy a-hole is punching his meal ticket on these men's backs.