Why Most Americans Hate the MSM: More Lies About Iraq

I received an email this morning that completely refutes an article posted in the LA Times about an action conducted in Iraq, but what is more important, the response I have is actually from the guys on the ground. (This was given to me through the understanding that I protect the identity of individual involved.)

First the LA Times article describing the event:

Iraqi residents say U.S. airstrike kills 30 Victims include women and children, witnesses in Ramadi say. The military has no immediate comment.
By Solomon Moore
Times Staff Writer

November 15, 2006

BAGHDAD — A U.S. airstrike in the restive town of Ramadi killed at least 30 people, including women and children, witnesses said Tuesday.

The aerial attack, which took place late Monday, brought the number of violent deaths reported in Iraq on Tuesday to at least 91,according to military sources and witnesses.

Dr. Barakt Mansi, a Ramadi physician, said many of the bodies arriving at the city's morgue Monday night and Tuesday morning were shattered and charred. Another physician, who identified himself only as Dr. Kamal, said some died because of delays created by American roadblocks and heavy fighting.

"It was difficult for us to reach the location because the Americans cordoned off the area," he said.

"This increased the number of the dead — some of the injured could have been evacuated and kept alive."

U.S. military officials had no immediate comment on an airstrike in Ramadi. The military released a statement announcing that American troops in Ramadi killed 11 alleged insurgents in a series of attacks that appeared to be unrelated to an airstrike.

A Times correspondent in Ramadi said at least 15 homes were pulverized by aerial bombardment and families could be seen digging through the ruins with shovels and bare hands. Other families attempted to leave Ramadi on foot or gathered at the city hospital, where a passionate crowd called out "Allahu akbar!" or God is great, in unison.

"National reconciliation is a fiasco!" cried one bereaved relative.

Referring to a local Sunni Arab anti-insurgent group, another relative complained that "the Committee of Salvation is useless."

"They are calling for peace when it is time for jihad," the relative said.

The U.S. military, in its statement, said that American troops killed two alleged insurgents with small-arms fire as they attempted to set an improvised explosive device.

Fire from a tank killed three other suspected insurgents when they returned to the same site. "There were secondary explosions and the remains of the IED continued to burn for about an hour," the statement said.

After an insurgent attack on a U.S. military vehicle four hours later in the same area, U.S. forces opened fire with rifles and tank guns, killing four people who allegedly were stealing equipment. Two more were killed sometime later by American troops, the military said.

In northeast Baghdad, a car bomb detonated Tuesday near a crowded market, killing 15 people and injuring 16.

"I helped to evacuate the injured and the dead," clothing salesman Gaith Saadi said during a phone interview. "Merchants and customers are leaving the market as early as possible these days because of the explosions. We used to close down at 4 p.m., now we close at 1 p.m. Most of the shops in our market are closed and the owners have left Iraq."

Mortar rounds, suicide bombers and gunfire in the capital left at least nine other people dead.

In Baqubah, a fractious, polyglot city 35 miles northeast of Baghdad, 18 people were killed Tuesday, including three Iraqi police officers, Iraqi authorities said.

In the northern oil hub of Kirkuk, gunmen attacked a house late Monday, killing four people and wounding two. On Tuesday, a bomb exploded near a police patrol vehicle, killing two people, including a police officer and injuring four civilians.

Gunmen in Kirkuk also attacked a barbershop, killing one hairstylist.

In Tikrit, the hometown of deposed President Saddam Hussein, a roadside bomb killed a police officer and wounded seven people.

*
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
moore1@latimes.com

Times correspondents in Ramadi, Baghdad, Baqubah, Hillah, Kirkuk and Tikrit
contributed to this report.

Now read the statement by a soldier who was present when the action took place. This is his letter to his family explaining his reaction to the LA Times article and the action as it actually happened:

The article [above] below is an example of why you simply cannot believe most media reports coming out of Iraq. The LA Time reporter, Solomon Moore, is not in Ramadi. He relies on an Iraqi stringer here who has ties to insurgents. In this article, Moore repeats almost verbatim, insurgent propaganda we have intercepted. The fighting in question occurred in my battle space within Ramadi and I was personally and intimately involved.

There were no air strikes anywhere in Ramadi on the day in question. Through two different means, we acquired a group off AIF emplacing a large IED on a neighborhood street. After I was sure they were enemy, I ordered one of my tanks to engage. Its cannon fire killed the enemy and set off the IED. Shortly afterwards, one of my Bradley crews engaged and killed two more AIF emplacing an IED on a nearby street.

In both cases, we continued to observe the area and the locals left the dead lying in the street; this is a sure sign that they are AIF because the Iraqis normally pick up dead civilians in the street quickly. Later that night, I had a route clearance team move through the area. We found the bodies and removed multiple hand grenades off one of them. During that same operation, one of Bradleys escorting the route clearance team was attacked by an IED. The IED set the Bradley on fire and wounded the three Soldiers aboard. One of those brave men now clings to life with
burns over 93% of his body.

We established a security perimeter around the burning vehicle and over-watched it until it burned out and we were able recover the hulk. While over-watching the burning vehicle, we had multiple tank main gun and machine gun engagements against AIF who were desperately trying to steal ammunition from the vehicle (a fool's errand if ever there was one) or emplace additional IEDs to attack the recovery mission they knew would follow. No houses were destroyed and only one courtyard wall
was damaged.

Every target engaged was well within what our restrictive rules of engagement authorize. I am disgusted by the editorial slant of this article, by what passes from journalistic integrity at the LA Times, and by their complicity with our mortal enemies. My Soldiers fight with great precision and skill on a very difficult urban battlefield. The LA Times dishonors them and give aid and comfort to my enemies.

How can we have a reasonable debate about the war when the MSM constantly lies about situation on the ground? The unfortunate aspect is that last week the American people choose to believe the phonies in the LA Times and MSM over the American Serviceman that are on the ground fighting. This indicates a questionable ability on the part of most Americans to discern fact from fiction. Furthermore, it displays a detachment from those that are fighting the war.

It's time we condemn these traitors for who they really are. Tell the LA Times to put an American reporter in Iraq or stop reporting their lies. It’s time the US news media became responsible participants in democracy, rather than the patent lap dogs of the left.

Update: The telephone number to the LA Times: (213) 237-5000