Say Anything Blog

"Nearly every Iraq story is inaccurate," wrote Ben Connable, a Marine major stationed in Fallujah, in an email to a friend. 

Yeah, that’s a really objective source.

That’s about as professional as reporting as fact the allegations of the prisoners in Guantanamo.

This is reporting, this is an opinion column.  And the opinion of a Marine stationed in Iraq, even one expressed to a friend, carries a decent amount of weight with me.

And it is not at all like the allegations of prsioners in Gitmo.  They have a reason to lie, what reason does this Marine have to lie?  What reason do you have not to believe him, other than that you don’t want to believe him?

The war against illegal plunder has been fought since the beginning of the world. But how is… legal plunder to be identified? Quite simply. See if the law takes from some persons what belongs to them, and gives it to other persons to whom it does not belong. See if the law benefits one citizen at the expense of another by doing what the citizen himself cannot do without committing a crime. Then abolish this law without delay … If such a law is not abolished immediately it will spread, multiply and develop into a system.

Frédéric Bastiat, The Law

Rob’s recently listened-to songs:

what reason does this Marine have to lie?

Never said he lied (though such obfuscation on your part is sadly all too common). I said he’s not an objective source. It’d be like reprinting a losing basketball player’s assessment of the officiating.

What reason do you have not to believe him?

Lack of evidence.

Never said he lied (though such obfuscation on your part is sadly all too common).

I didn’t accuse of you saying he lied, I was just asking you a question.  What reason does he have to lie?

Talk about obfuscation…

I said he’s not an objective source. It’d be like reprinting a losing basketball player’s assessment of the officiating.

Nobody is saying that the Marine’s opinion isn’t just that: an opinion.  It is, however, an opinion worth taking seriously.  Because he, unlike you or I, is actually in Iraq and has actually witnessed the events being reported.

When you couple his complaints with things heard from plenty of other soldiers returning its hard to refute the idea that the media is exaggerating things.

But feel free to keep up the ad hominem attacks.  You don’t want to believe this Marine, that’s fine.  Whatever. 

The war against illegal plunder has been fought since the beginning of the world. But how is… legal plunder to be identified? Quite simply. See if the law takes from some persons what belongs to them, and gives it to other persons to whom it does not belong. See if the law benefits one citizen at the expense of another by doing what the citizen himself cannot do without committing a crime. Then abolish this law without delay … If such a law is not abolished immediately it will spread, multiply and develop into a system.

Frédéric Bastiat, The Law

Rob’s recently listened-to songs:

What reason do I have for being anti-semitic? Where are you coming from with these wild accusations?

likwidshoe suggested this:  http://IraqTheModel.blogspot.com/

A long read, but from someone that we describe as having "boots down". 

It took a while, but the preponderance of details seem to establish his credibility.  I am sure that they could be verified.  The problem with CNN, MSNBC, ABC, etc is that they live on one-liners to grab attention and sell commercials.  There are some people who enjoy telling the truth. 

dave, just in the last 40 hours I have read 12 seperate, unconnected news articles from 5 different papers in the middle-east. All of an optimistic bent. None of these papers are favorably inclined towards America. I have given you the online addresses of these papers and others on several occasions. Why do you refuse delivery?  Why do you doubt the statements made by Servicemembers intheater? Why do you continue to get your news from Yahoo, MSNBC,Rueters,CNN, and the WaPo? The entire world is out here. Come onout and see it, don’t let others tell you about it.

What reason do I have for being anti-semitic? Where are you coming from with these wild accusations?

Anti-semitic?  Nobody here called you that... 

The war against illegal plunder has been fought since the beginning of the world. But how is… legal plunder to be identified? Quite simply. See if the law takes from some persons what belongs to them, and gives it to other persons to whom it does not belong. See if the law benefits one citizen at the expense of another by doing what the citizen himself cannot do without committing a crime. Then abolish this law without delay … If such a law is not abolished immediately it will spread, multiply and develop into a system.

Frédéric Bastiat, The Law

Rob’s recently listened-to songs:

Rob: The technique you describe for distorting the news on Iraq sounds exactly like the strategy for reporting everything these days.  Lies, distortions, incomplete descriptions, etc.  Sounds like the port story, the Cheney story, the Katrina story, on and on.  I sense a pattern here:  The truth is unacceptable, because it makes the President look good.  Can’t have that!

Anti-semitic?  Nobody here called you that... 

I didn’t accuse anyone of saying I saw anti-semitic.

(http://sayanythingblog.com/2006/02/28/nearly_every_iraq_story_is_inaccurate/#c60055)

Nice maneuver Davey.  You’re losing the argument, so change the subject.

When you’re ready to talk about why you know more about the situation in Iraq then this Marine does I’m waiting. 

The war against illegal plunder has been fought since the beginning of the world. But how is… legal plunder to be identified? Quite simply. See if the law takes from some persons what belongs to them, and gives it to other persons to whom it does not belong. See if the law benefits one citizen at the expense of another by doing what the citizen himself cannot do without committing a crime. Then abolish this law without delay … If such a law is not abolished immediately it will spread, multiply and develop into a system.

Frédéric Bastiat, The Law

Rob’s recently listened-to songs:

dave, the point is you only believe news stories that portray America as evil,greedy, and stupid. And you brought out anti-semitic. So tell us, which of your parents is Jewish and why do you hate them? Mommy not hug you enough? Daddy not play catch with you?

Dave: Nice leftie spin.  When the President was possibly misled by faulty intel, he’s a liar, but when this Marine speaks from his own experience, you say he’s "not objective".  Why the double standard?  Why not call him a liar, too?  I guess only the Dems and the MSM are objective, then.