Democratic Congressman Jim Marshall of Georgia attracted national attention a few weeks ago when he wrote a column accusing American media outlets of reporting overly pessimistically from Iraq. "I'm afraid it is killing our troops," he concluded.
This is music to the ears of war fans like Chuckie (CHARLIE DANIELS), who was trashing war correspondents as "pukes" not long ago. The Mobile Register joined others in cheering his comments, claiming in an editorial that for Democrats to criticize Bush and Rummy's disastrous war policy is "dangerous."
But apparently the vote on that position was not unanimous at the Register. Marshall's younger brother Mike Marshall is an editor at that paper. He published an open letter taking issue with his older brother's comments (link also includes the text of Rep. Marshall's column). Like Vietnam, the Iraq War is making for some family disharmony.
As a member of "the media," I find myself opening with this surreal disclaimer: I have not killed any of our troops in Iraq, nor have I been complicit in their deaths.
In pointing out the death of Sgt. Blumberg, be assured that neither have you.
Your essay began, quite powerfully, with news of the Army sergeant's sacrifice. The deaths of servicemen we have sent into battle is bound to get the attention of all Americans. You did not open with "the good news" that you discovered in Iraq.
He defends his paper's coverage of the war and says:
In any case, it is clear that you don't read the Mobile Register often enough. (And I know what I'm getting you for Christmas.)
Also, bear in mind that it was the "credible Baghdad Bobs" in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations who got us into Vietnam and kept us there until more than 55,000 Americans -- and Lord knows how many Vietnamese -- were dead. Had it not been forfair and accurate reporting -- often dismissed as "negative and biased reporting" by the Pentagon and White House -- we might still be fighting that misbegotten war.
No comments:
Post a Comment