Two observations
While reponding to a comment from Left of Center on this compelling Newsweek story of a Navy doctor working a forward aid station during the seige of Fallujah, it suddenly occurred to me how little of this type of reporting we've seen.
Hundreds of thousands of soldiers, guardsmen, and reservists have rotated through Iraq, been under fire and certainly seen their share of combat and blood. 2,306 US servicemen have been killed, and an uncertain number, anywhere from 15,000 to 25,000 have been wounded, and yet, how many of their individual stories have we seen in the press?
I actually find it quite odd that this war is being presented without the drama of the first person experience, even if it's told in the third person through a reporter.
Certainly, part of that is the way in which the Pentagon handles the release of information on attacks, but there are at least a hundred thousand soldiers in the US right now who have been in the shit, but no one in the major media is telling their stories. Most accounts are detail listing regurgitations of Pentagon press releases.
I'm not just talking about the "horror of war" stories; I'm also talking about the "bravery and valor" stories. Certainly, there have been horrific moments of violence experienced by those serving in Iraq, but just as certainly, there have been stories of "beyond the call" herosim where actions under fire has saved lives. And we haven't heard those stories either.
As awful as Iraq obviously is, I just find it odd that this war has no face. You know?
And, a little lighter. Has anybody else noticed that "Cowboy" George Bush has no cattle on his "ranch?" Down here in Houston, it's not uncommon for a successful oilman to own a vanity ranch like this, but of the half dozen or so people I know that have one of these things, every one has at least some cattle on it. Just an observation that backs up that "All hat and no cattle" indictment of Bush.
Hundreds of thousands of soldiers, guardsmen, and reservists have rotated through Iraq, been under fire and certainly seen their share of combat and blood. 2,306 US servicemen have been killed, and an uncertain number, anywhere from 15,000 to 25,000 have been wounded, and yet, how many of their individual stories have we seen in the press?
I actually find it quite odd that this war is being presented without the drama of the first person experience, even if it's told in the third person through a reporter.
Certainly, part of that is the way in which the Pentagon handles the release of information on attacks, but there are at least a hundred thousand soldiers in the US right now who have been in the shit, but no one in the major media is telling their stories. Most accounts are detail listing regurgitations of Pentagon press releases.
I'm not just talking about the "horror of war" stories; I'm also talking about the "bravery and valor" stories. Certainly, there have been horrific moments of violence experienced by those serving in Iraq, but just as certainly, there have been stories of "beyond the call" herosim where actions under fire has saved lives. And we haven't heard those stories either.
As awful as Iraq obviously is, I just find it odd that this war has no face. You know?
And, a little lighter. Has anybody else noticed that "Cowboy" George Bush has no cattle on his "ranch?" Down here in Houston, it's not uncommon for a successful oilman to own a vanity ranch like this, but of the half dozen or so people I know that have one of these things, every one has at least some cattle on it. Just an observation that backs up that "All hat and no cattle" indictment of Bush.
posted by mikevotes at
8:40 AM
4 Comments:
Military blogs and Iraqi blogs are a great source for more information and perspective. But, you make a valid point. It seems that the first person experience of the war was a part of media reporting in the conventional phase.
By
Bravo 2-1, at 12:27 PM
I've travelled the milblogs from time to time, and it is enlightening, but that does require a little internet knowledge. As you recognize, I was talking about the mainstream networks and papers.
Mike
By
mikevotes, at 12:31 PM
Bush is reputed to be scared of horses. Whatever, his ranch has no cattle, horses, pigs, chickens, crops. There are no working hands. And as to the vaunted macho exercise of "brush clearing," any Texan will tell you that's just amateurs at play. On a place the size of Bush's you use bulldozers and controlled burns to do any real brush clearing.
Doesn't he make a great, believable rancher? Almost as good as he plays commander in chief?
By
Motherlode, at 2:13 PM
Or, if you made millions from the sale of the Texas Rangers off your investment of 50,000, normal practice would be to hire someone.
Mike
By
mikevotes, at 8:36 PM
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