Nearly Every Iraq Story Is Inaccurate

• February 28, 2006

“We have much more evidence of a strong national unity movement in Iraq,” said Iraqi Web logger Haider Ajina of the weekend demonstrations. “This attack was supposed to plunge Iraq into sectarian mayhem and senseless massive killing. This did not happen.”
These peaceful demonstrations for peace drew little attention from a news media that is eager to report on a civil war, even if it isn’t happening.
“Nearly every Iraq story is inaccurate,” wrote Ben Connable, a Marine major stationed in Fallujah, in an email to a friend. “The numbers are inflated, the damage exaggerated, the estimates are misleading, and the predictions are based on pure conjecture, often by people far removed from the problem.”
“The Iraqi military and police forces have held together and they are doing their jobs,” Maj. Connable said. “In 2004, the Iraqi military and police all but collapsed. The fact that Shia soldiers who make up the vast majority of the troops have stayed at their posts, held back the Shia militiamen, and prevented an increase in violence is remarkable. This should be one of the feature stories on the nightly news, but it barely received mention.”

Read the whole thing.

Tags: International Scene

http://Array robert108

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.
robert108

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!
Dave

What reason do I have for being anti-semitic? Where are you coming from with these wild accusations?
2Hotel9

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.
Dave

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)
2Hotel9

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

"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.
http://magyartruth.blogspot.com/ Chief RZ

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

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.
http://sayanythingblog.com robport

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?
http://sayanythingblog.com robport

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… 
http://sayanythingblog.com robport

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. 
http://sayanythingblog.com robport

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.

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Nearly Every Iraq Story Is Inaccurate

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