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You Can’t Spell “Stupid” without “ID”, and maybe not without “Cav”
Hello all. The landlord asked me to enter real subtle-like. So I am doing my best to comply. Bear with my reticence. ~ Denominator
Now look, I’ve served in the 1st Cav. I’ve even served in the 3rd Brigade (highlighted in this story). I wear my Stetson at the least provocation, and defy anyone who contends that the huge frackin’ patch doesn’t matter. That being said, I must cede that my old Division does have the ability to produce moronic decisions upon occasion. In this case, they are going all Old School on the media. But it’s not like that darned liberal-dolschtoss-out-to-getcha media. No, in this case the 1st Cav has taken the all-American decision to ban a reporter from the flippin’ STARS AND STRIPES.
You go there boys. Point that M-249 straight at your leather personnel carriers and pop off a full box?
Let me check something here…You do know that the Stars and Stripes is, according to the Department of Defense is, well, I’ll let them point it out: “Stars and Stripes is a daily newspaper published for the U.S. military, DoD civilians, contractors, and their families." But perhaps you missed that next line that Congress authorized. You remember Congress, right? "Unique among the many military publications, Stars and Stripes operates as a First Amendment newspaper, free of control and censorship. We have published continuously in Europe since 1942, and since 1945 in the Pacific. Today, our readers number well over 350,000.” In other words, still theirs, look at it this way, “Stars and Stripes is a Department of Defense-authorized daily newspaper distributed overseas for the U.S. military community.” What part of that did you not understandimipate?
You banned a reporter from the Stars and Stripes for Anti-American reporting? Seriously? Whiskey Tango Foxtrot? Clue for you: You, the officers who did this, just are not that important. As both Bill Cosby and my own old man told me, upon misbehavior, “I brought you into this world, I’ll take you right back out. Doesn’t matter to me. I’ll make a ‘nuther one jest like ya.” The Army is like that. What were you thinking? You just set yourselves up for the biggest kneecapping since the Sopranos went off the air.
What really blows my mind is that I know for a fact that Major General Dan Bolger knows better than this. I’ve read his writing for 15 years, and watched the man go out on patrols, as a G.O. mind you. He understands. (See update: 3rd Bde/1CD is under 25ID) He understands that: A. The Press is not the enemy. B. You cannot control the press. C. Trying to control the press only results in bad press, which damages the war effort. D. Giving the press access always results in better stories. So right now you who made this decision are betting on one thing: That Bolger will automatically support you, despite the fact that you just made one of the most egregiously misguided “decisions” in the whole eight years of this war. Nice one. Buy yourselves a round at the O-Club when you get back to Hood.
Personally, I’m thinking, you Battalion and Brigade Public Affairs officers responsible for this are using some of the prohibited local products in your decision making on this count, and you’ve been supported by the probable fact that the Division PAO did not fully inform the Division Commander of the lowdown. Now that it’s out there in the open, I fully expect that Bolger will quietly, in his subtle way, come to you and casually explain things. Cause, like, he’s a real subtle guy. (Mooted by update)
And I model for Men’s Health.
UPDATE: An alert reader who saw this before suggested, and I checked, and the fact is that once again the 3rd Brigade, 1st CAV is under the control of 25 ID/MND-N. That takes Bolger out of the equation. 25 ID is commanded by MG Robert L. Caslen.
Welcome, Denominator. We've
Welcome, Denominator. We've got some great news to usher you in: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/8115814.stm
Seriously? We're bombing funerals now? I don't care who was there, that can't be good practice.
This is too bad -- when I
This is too bad -- when I was in Mosul last year, the PAOs from the unit that preceded 3/1 Cav (3rd ACR) never made any kind of trouble at all, and the commanders were very cooperative.
Also, I am guessing that at division level, it is 25th ID PAOs, not MG Bolger's PAOs, who are responsible for this.
Dragons at War - Phenomenal
Dragons at War - Phenomenal read.
ADTS
Your point got lost in your
Your point got lost in your attempt to be funny. (That's if this post even has a point). Luckily I was already familiar with the story or I would have been completely lost. What a way to start off the one-month hiatus.
Welcome to CNAS, the "home
Welcome to CNAS, the "home think tank of the Obama administration" - founded by John Podesta, the guy who does the Fairness Doctrine strategerie for Obama. So if you are into silencing free speech domestically and placating terrorists abroad, you'll fit right in.
Abu Muqawama, congrats on
Abu Muqawama, congrats on getting highlighted on the Charlie Rose program today. :-)
Good points. Read War 2.0.
Good points. Read War 2.0. Your scattered colloquial prose style kinda made me want to vomit.
Further "stupid" and vomit
Further "stupid" and vomit inducing thought from an anonymous me:
Regarding the difference between the US media's take on Iran and Palestine, inter alia, and et sequelea:
It seems to me there is a paradox in use here that confuses and contorts.
First is the assumption of a mantle: WE are THE JEWS. A splinter group asserts that it represents all of the Jewish people, speaks with the authority of the Judaic religion, and is functioning under a divine mandate to seize and hold land in fulfillment of Jewish prophecy. A political model is involved: a nation only for the Jews is necessary in order to provide protection for all of the Jewish people, a refuge from the ineradicable prejudice of the rest of the world's people. Given the reality of centuries old discrimination, institutionalized in the colonial structure of the Western world of Empire, followed by the horrors of World War II, nationalism has come to make sense to lots of people, not just those who are Jewish. So a 'Jewish State' comes into existence and is lauded - after all, this is the way of the western, "white", world, eradicate the indigenous population, conquer more land in war, and declare the victims poor losers, subject to whatever tyranny is exercised by the victorious.
Fast forward into a world where 'prejudice', and the colonial model, is understood as a threat to the survival of humankind. The dismantlement of institutionalized discrimination begins. A president is elected who believes in the Christian Zionist ideology, and apparently acts to bring the world closer to Armegeddon, in pursuit of "manifest destiny", while assuring himself and his buddies control over what are considered resources necessary to drive the economic engine of the country. We end up in a war which ruins the national economy and sends the globe into an economic tail spin.
Israel, the Zionist nation-state, has become the West's spear-head into the Occident, the Eastern world. Criticize Israel, and one is antisemitic - prejudiced against "the Jews". Moreover, 'capitalism', and the predatory activity of those who hold power and exercise it ruthlessly, without consideration of the individuals harmed, can be defended by the same rhetoric. Hiding behind "the Jews," as defined by this world view, are all those who use economic power in such a manner and benefit from the monetary rewards - and co-opt many others without any recognition of what is involved in their wealth. Both "the Jews" and 'capitalism' are demonized by those who suffer the consequences of ruthless power, and defended by the innocent response that neither the Jewish people nor capitalism itself are inherently harmful. Here we are: "Zionists" come into this arena, act like absolute shitheads and provoke the anger and the angst of other participants. (See prejudice in action, folks - my response is intolerant and I hate the way I feel when that happens.) Meanwhile, in Israel-Palestine, Iraq and Afghanistan, people continue to die because of the actions of the US, and the anger here is as nothing to the anger of the world's people.
The Palestinians are "not protected" by their "government" and, in this model, their government is supposed to provide that protection - forget that, in effect, they are imprisoned and have no resources with which to create a functioning polity other than in a reactive and reactionary mode. Another political power is required to do so, if not in Palestine, then in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran. It appears that there is a desire for West and East to be at war, WWIII, brought to you by whom? By what forces? In pursuit of what aim? We've seen how powerful can be just a few with intention, acting in a greater arena in which others are ignorant of such intentions, and without recognition of the need for defense against them.
Paradox, as Edward Teller said (in reference to mathematics), is interesting. A world of human beings, all essentially the same, are splintered into gender, race, national, ethnic or political groups, easily divided and easily conquered. Unity provides the greatest weapon of all. It can be a weapon sufficient to bring peace.
Where the f did that come
Where the f did that come from?
The Stars and Stripes story
The Stars and Stripes story is rocketing around in journalism circles. Highlighted at the journalism insiders site Romenesko's Media News (http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=45), I've had a couple of reporter friends write and ask me, WTF themselves. Similar to the whole Michael Yon thing. Public Affairs have made it so hard for him to get embedded that he's vowed he'll never go in with US troops again. Predictable cycle: US commanders try to control story -> Pissed off reporters -> Story is not as positive as Cdrs/PAOs want it to be -> More strident attempts to control press -> Less positive coverage -> Repeat. And it starts with us. We are the one's causing our own headaches.Visitor at 11:55...perhaps
Visitor at 11:55...perhaps you might read a little more. John Podesta founded and leads the "Center for American Progress" (CAP) not CNAS. Check for yourself, and welcome.Link:
Link: http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2009/06/army-denies-reporter-iraq-embed-...
"But it is worth noting that the Army is not exactly barring Druzin from Mosul — it’s just refusing him inside access to a particular unit, at a particular time. If Druzin wants to cover Mosul, BBC-style, by traveling to the city, alone, on Stars & Stripes’ dime, there’s nothing to stop him… except the extreme danger of so-called “unilateral” reporting gigs, in Iraq. At the height of the war, a rejected embed might have been tantamount to censorship — a reporter really, really needed protection then. Now, it just makes a trip very hazardous. The land service even said Stars & Stripes would be permitted to send a different report to the 1st Cavalry Division, or Druzin could embed with another unit."
They banned the Stars -n-
They banned the Stars -n- Stripes? Holy Riding Unicorns on a Stick, CAVMAN. I am also dismayed that the most admirable Micheal Yon has supposedly written the institution off as well.
Having said that - you are a wise ass, Denominator. And as Brave Rifles, we had plenty to say about "The First Team". Probably most of it unfair. Wanna play?
To be a bit more helpful, I, in true Cav fashion, will bang my own drum on the skin of this folly...these were my thoughts in Dec 2006, prompted by Michael Yon's article in The Weekly Standard discussing our retarded lack of embeds.
AhhYeehAhh!!
=========================================
Our Embedded Strengths--or How to solve the lack of Embeds
The real embedded reporters we need are already amongst us down the squad level.
Background: We know we haven't got good press since OIF-I. Part of this is politics, part of it is the reporters don't want to leave the hotel and rely on (unreliable) local stringers, some also feel they lose "objectivity" when they embed with the troops. Worst of all Big Army seems to have developed an aversion of late, as was reported in the Weekly Standard recently (at the time only seven embeds active in Iraq). AQ on the other hand has full reporting down to the cell level (helps to have US/UK educated marketing majors, not to mention all those helpful tips from Al-Jazzera).
We already have new-media savvy, morally unassailable and unabashedly patriotic embeds with public credibility at every level, and the Army needs to harness them and their free speech and get out of their way.
It's our soldiers. Every other public institution in the free world has had to come to grips with free speech and how the new technology makes everyone a part of the media, Big Army does as well. Don't worry, the ghost of Von Steuben won't frown. He understood his times.
======================================
Now, never say I hate reporters, even though I do, and told my own brother his profession were gossipy geebas. I used the Sassancech version of Geeba, which I try to avoid.
We don't necessarily need the ignorant gossips, they are a dying breed anyway, and find it very difficult to report the truth even if not biased, because they don't know and usually can't learn their subject matter. If they bother trying.
OK, have a good day.
OK, have a good day. Really. I'm only interested in taking on other cavalrymen in drinking contests.
Which in all false modesty, I will usually win.
I mean, I have drunken Arrack by choice. And the manly Sri Lankan Arrack, not that pussy frenchified Lebanese nonsense.
Are we a mafia? No sh*t!! Where's my Gumarr (and know, the Army doesn't count!)
;-)
Someone needs to make these
Someone needs to make these guys read Ernie Pyle.
http://journalism.indiana.edu/resources/erniepyle/wartime-columns/
I wonder how a column like this one would fly today?
http://journalism.indiana.edu/resources/erniepyle/wartime-columns/the-ho...
Arabic Calligodude (now if
Arabic Calligodude (now if that offends, you are way too sensitive),
1) I am beginning to suspect you an SNLII are alter egos. Probably bullshit, but it's really good RUMINT...I look forward to Arabic being posted in bold
2) When we went into the Shia villiages on patrol, some of the hot young wives were wrapped in a semi gauze material with some very racy beads underneath it, and sequins etc on top of it... would give us a furtive sly smile and glance when the men weren't watching, and then the walk would take on a pronounced hip swagger. You shake it, girl.
and why not? We're young, got guns, power and big cars (up armored HUMMV's). Why wouldn't they shake that thing our way, as opposed to the yellow toothed middle age creeps that took them as the second wives?
And before someone starts with the all wives are equal bullshit, during interrogations it comes out they aren't.
Ain't I a stinker ;-)
Ain't I a stinker ;-)
Get Stars and Stripes to
Get Stars and Stripes to cover this story:
"BAGHDAD -- Next week, Iraqi officials plan a welcome-back party for Big Oil.
The government intends to auction off oil contracts to foreign companies for the first time since Iraq nationalized its oil industry more than three decades ago. If all goes according to plan in the first round, foreign oil companies will move in to help Iraq revive production at six developed fields that have suffered from years of war and neglect."
That's the Wall Street Journal version of events. Be honest - it was a war for control of Iraqi oil supplies, run by some of the most corrupt and incompetent jackasses in U.S. history - you can't just flush the history and expect everyone to forget about it - unless your stomping ground is the Washington cesspool and your audience consists of yes men.
I mean, come on...
Since I don't know the whole
Since I don't know the whole story....does anyone know whether the dissatisfaction with the Stars & Stripes reporter originated with the brigade or division PAO, or with the actual area commander? The linked story seems to suggest that COL Volesky, the 3/1 Cav BCT commander, had a problem with him too, not just the PAO. Based on my very limited experience, it seems like a press-friendly commander usually can make things work even when the PAO is not cooperative, and by the same token a commander who is not press-friendly (for good reasons or bad) can ruin an embed even if the PAO is all for it. (One of the wonderful things about embedding at battalion level and below is that you usually deal just with commanders, and not with PAOs.)
This "group" isn't counter
This "group" isn't counter anything. It IS pro Islam, anti Israel and all about mocking America.
Where is your "expertize" you speak and act like liberal hairheaded children trying for a second "age of Aquarius"
Grow up.
And yet, young visitor, I've
And yet, young visitor, I've served in the infantry for 20+ years...and you, so far as we can tell from your anonymous posting, have done little more than learned the basic syntax of the English language, though not apparently spelling. Perhaps you might enlighten us with how many more years under the colors of the United States of America you have served? You enjoin those here to, "grow up"? How many decades of military service do you have? With Disdain, DALCON, Sorry,
ALCON, Sorry, that one was an easy target of opportunity. Promise I won't wave the bloody flag to others, regardless of nationality or service, with substantive critiques of evidence or logic. (LC) DenominatorMy apologies for remaining
My apologies for remaining anonymous here, but I will state that while I am neither with the First Cavalry nor with the military at all, I have some direct knowledge of the reporting of this individual journalist in Iraq (not in Mosul).
So far I don't think that the Division has responded, so all you are seeing is Stars and Stripes' version of events. When the Division does respond, you may find that a key underlying allegation (this has been suggested in an anonymous - not me - comment on Tom Ricks' Foreign Policy blog) is that this reporter has taken actions that have put people's lives in danger. There is a point at which freedom of the press reaches its limit, and I would suggest that endangerng people's lives might be that point.
This journalist's actions are fairly objective activities. A more subjective measure is an evaluation of the way in which the journalist responded to criticism: one could apologize, defend one's actions, or try to pass blame to someone else. The method of response gives you an indication of character and perhaps a predictor of what sort of actions to expect in the future.
I don't have direct knowledge of those facts - nor could I credibly claim such knowledge as an anonymous commenter - but I would suggest withholding final judgement at least until the Division responds.
What a surprise that the
What a surprise that the Stars and Stripes makes itself out to be a worthy newspaper. You realize that a testimonial about the Stars and Stripes, by the Stars and Stripes, is not very credible, right?
The only time that I've ever read Stars and Stripes was on deployments, so I can sympathize with the General. I usually got a week-old copy that arrived with our twice-weekly LOGPAC and I would peruse it while eating General Tso's Chicken T-rations for the umpteenth time. Now, I'm guessing that the good General probably read his edition while munching on some Kobe beef and truffles from the KBR DFAC, but I think that I can somewhat relate. There were multiple occasions when the garbage printed in the Stars and Stripes made me feel more nauseated than the slimy, fake stew that is General Tso's cruel legacy. Their actual reporting was rarely anything more than a carbon copy or rewrite of the latest stringer-fed gray PSYOP from al-Reuters.
On top of that, the letters to the editor section of Stars and Stripes seems to be intended as a kind of print-format Jerry Springer Show for USAREUR and CENTCOM. Every week there were ridiculous letters to the editor - mostly from PFC's griping about how their Battalion Commander (not named, but the unit designation usually given) was screwing them for not allowing them to go home on emergency leave for some BS reason or whining that their First Sergeant is a hardass because he enforces standards.
@Schemedlap, "Now, I'm
@Schemedlap,
"Now, I'm guessing that the good General probably read his edition while munching on some Kobe beef and truffles from the KBR DFAC, but I think that I can somewhat relate. There were multiple occasions when the garbage printed in the Stars and Stripes made me feel more nauseated than the slimy, fake stew that is General Tso's cruel legacy."
ROFL. The Jerry Springer comment on target as well.
OTOH - sometimes, just sometimes it was the best war reporting I've read. Rare but it did happen. I wish I could find the articles - but two come to mind, one of a AIF up armored garbage truck making a VBIED suicide run, and the fight to stop it. Another was a story about a real diehard (?Chechen? or has that rumor been debunked?) fighter that took all the small arms the platoon could offer, when the CPT went in with his 9mm he got shot (not fatal), and they had to level the house. And the diehard sits up in the middle of the wreckage and keeps firing. Balls.
Then there was this gem of a meme...
Juba the Sniper
The best part of all of this
The best part of all of this is if you enter Robert Caslen into facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=116371768867
Facebook can't be wrong.
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