Posted on 12/20/2004 7:18:37 AM PST by Pikamax
Soldier Says He Asked Rumsfeld 'Armor' Question Without Aid of Embed
By E&P Staff
Published: December 19, 2004
NEW YORK In his first public account of last week’s controversy, Spc. Thomas Wilson says that he came up with the now famous “armor” question for Pentagon chief Donald Rumsfeld himself, without the help of oft-criticized reporter Edward Lee Pitts. And he adds, "If this is my 15 minutes of fame, I hope it saves a life."
The account appears in next week’s edition of Time magazine.
Wilson, who serves with Tennessee’s 278th Regiment in the National Guard, tells Time that he befriended Pitts, an embed for the Chattanooga Times Free Press, at California's Fort Irwin, where his unit trained. Later, in Kuwait, after Pitts learned that only soldiers could ask questions at the upcoming town hall meeting with Rumsfeld in Kuwait, he urged Wilson to come up with some "intelligent questions."
After his convoy arrived at Camp Arijan in Kuwait, Wilson found hundreds of fully armored vehicles promised to another unit months down the road. Wilson says he asked if the 278th could use them in the meantime, and was told no. That inspired his question about the shortage of armor, which he showed to Pitts.
The reporter, far from being the protagonist, suggested that he find “a less brash way of asking the question," but Wilson “told him no, that I wanted to make my point very clear."
Wilson says he also came up with three alternate questions on his own.
The Time account continues: “As for Rumsfeld's brusque response — that even a fully armored vehicle ‘can be blown up’--Wilson says, ‘Personally, I didn't like that answer.’”
But he added, “I hope I didn't do any damage to Secretary Rumsfeld.”
Following the meeting, Wilson told Rumsfeld he did not intend to put him “on the spot” or show disrespect, and the two shook hands. Most soldiers were “overwhelmingly positive” afterward, Wilson says, but one officer suggested he should have asked the question in a more “proper forum.”
Wilson says he replied: “What would the proper forum be?” He adds: “If it costs me my career to save another soldier, I'll give it."
"i think the soldier asked the right question "
Even though, at the time of the question, 80% of his unit's vehicles were up-armored and the rest were completed within 24 hours because, at the time of the question, the up-armoring process was already underway?
The reporter Pitts said the question was his idea, and the soldier Wilson says it was HIS idea. Somebody is lying.
"You go to the press conference with the questions you have...."
The guy is full of BS, his units armor was 97% completed by the time he asked this question.
Of course they "care", and they want to prove they "care" more than you, Rumsfeld and Bush.
They want to believe that the President of the US and the Defense Sec don't "care", and the soldiers are "victims" of these men who WANT them to die, don't "care" if they die, don't listen to the soldiers or the commanders on the ground, and probably don't even know there is a war going on.
Even some on FR are susceptible to low rent thinking and drama, having to have a constant "boogieman", and that utopia and perfection are attainable.
Their complaints ring hollow, in the face of the horrific enemy we face in Iraq.
Bump!
"Even though, at the time of the question, 80% of his unit's vehicles were up-armored and the rest were completed within 24 hours because, at the time of the question, the up-armoring process was already underway?"
WOW!! Here (below) are Pitts own words........it seems that he was only in attendance at the event BECAUSE THE ARMOR PROBLEM WAS BEING REMEDIED AS HE CONCOCTED THIS ENTIRE THING!!!! He knew perfectly well that the delay was for the purpose of up-armoring. Yeah, "way to go".
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.........snipped from:
http://www.suite101.com/print_message.cfm/middle_east_politics/111872/1036090
Sounds just like "I didn't NOT have a Relationship with that Reporter"!
LOL.
Here at FreeRepublic, our support for the troops is absolutely unequivocable. They are, to the last man and woman, the bravest and most capable fighting force ever known to God or man, and we love and honor each and every one of them with all of our hearts.
Until they ask a question we don't like.
I'm proud of him.
That's right, blame the soldier. It's not their fault Rummy is incompotent. If Gen. Schwarzkopf thinks he's worthless, that's good enough for me. Rummy is worthless and needs to go yesterday.
your what hurts?
My American pride hurts - I thought Bush had more fortitude than to keep someone so incompotent.
A sphincter says what?
Wow, I'm blown away by your articulate response :). I'll take that as a tacit admission of your failure to come up with a valid argument. Merry Christmas and keep drinking the Kool Aid.
Bottom line? Rummy stays, you lose. End of discussion is fine with me! :)
So, in a unit where 97% of the Humvees were already up-armored, this soldier decides on his own to ask this particular question? Given the detailed account by the embed in the e-mail he sent, bragging to his editors back home, I'd say the Guardsman in question is not being honest (for what reason I don't want to guess).
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