News you will not see in the NY times or WP for obvious reasons

[FishForLunch]

By U.S. Army Sgt. Jared Zabaldo / Office of Security Transition

TADJI MILITARY TRAINING BASE, Iraq, June 2, 2004 – Two companies from the Iraqi National Task Force's 2 nd Battalion, here netted more than 6 tons and seven truckloads of cached weapons on the outskirts of Al Tarmiya in a previously unreported four-day operation in May after sweeping through a hidden insurgent arms depot just south of the city.

The operation, from May 20 to 24, 2004, a coalition coordinated mission, comes only weeks after widespread reports roundly criticized the unit for its role in an early April operation north of Baghdad. Battalion soldiers were alleged to have turned and run on their American partners before heading into a planned operation in Fallujah – a report disputed by the actual participants in the engagement.

The find, consisting of nine sites in a roughly 4 kilometer-square area of dense “triple-canopy” palms just off an improved dirt and gravel road in the area, is being reported as the largest single-operation haul in many months as the Iraqi National Task Force and coalition forces continue the attempt to bring security and safety to the citizens of Iraq.

“In just a hundred yard area we found countless weapons,” said Coalition Military Assistance Training Team member Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Andrew R. Garcia, a 2 nd Battalion advisor support team member working with the force as an operational mentor.

“The enemy was marking trails,” Garcia said, “by burning marks on the ground and it came to a point where you could just take a metal detector and start digging things up everywhere.”

The find amounted to a staggering payload of terrorist and insurgent warfare materiel that included, in addition to mountains of small arms and ammunition, huge quantities of Russian-made rockets, SA-7 surface-to-air missiles, rocket-propelled grenades, Sagger missiles, TNT, RDX-type explosives, hand grenades, mortars, machineguns, sniper rifles, artillery shells, machinegun ammunition, plastique-type explosive materials, TOW missiles, launch tubes, fuses, maps and reams of other various demolition and improvised explosive device materials and triggering and detonation components. The rocket haul alone netted nearly 270 rounds and the find included, as well, some thirteen 55-gallon barrels of an RDX-type explosive material similar to TNT.

“The soldiers were beside themselves,” said an Iraqi army 2 nd Battalion company commander involved in the operation, and also a veteran of the early April Fallujah operation. “They were very excited,” he added.

“There were weapons everywhere and we knew that these were the weapons that had killed many people in towns like Karbala, Najaf and Fallujah,” said the commander. “And they didn't want to stop. They just wanted to find more and more.”

The find caps a rocky period from a perception standpoint for the battalion – the Iraqi National Task Force's sole fully trained, tested and completely operational battalion – where reports in April characterized the unit's functional capability as insufficient to support coalition efforts to bring peace and stability to the country as the nation prepares for the June 30, 2004 transition.

The Iraqi National Task Force currently consists of three other battalions conducting additional training and will add another 23 battalions in the coming months.

“It shows to everybody who had doubts about how well the Iraqi army would perform in the face of an adverse situation,” said Coalition Military Assistance Training Team 2 nd Battalion Senior Advisor, Marine Corps Maj. David E. Lane II – an Acquisition Support Team member, along with Garcia, especially familiar with the unit's operational readiness.

“After Fallujah, they come back and do the training – work harder than they've ever worked before – and still have the confidence to go out and accomplish missions that they've been assigned,” Lane said. “And the fact that coalition forces actually use them and they're actually a part of the coalition demonstrates that they play a vital role in the security of this country,” he added.

The U.S. Marine Corps team that accompanies the 2 nd Battalion soldiers on all missions – a 10-man team of Marine volunteers from various stations throughout the United States – is a part of the Office of Security Transition specifically tasked with training and equipping the Iraqi armed forces. The small unit has been with the battalion since early March and has seen the force come a long way including Fallujah and six recent cordon and search missions resulting in the capture of nine suspects identified on the Combined Joint Task Force-7, 1 st Cavalry Division and 39 th Brigade Combat Team commands' target lists.

“The practical effect, though,” Lane said, referring to the battalion's great success in May, “Is that when you look at all the munitions and weapons that were found, you realize that there's going to be lives saved in direct correlation with the amount of weapons that were found and the type that were found.

“A lot of the ammunition that was found,” he continued, “Would be used to produce IEDs and to detonate IEDs. And the mortars that were found will reduce the enemy's ability to conduct indirect fire on different facilities around the country. And the same thing with the IEDs.

“The result is you have a reduced number of attacks,” Lane said. “So lives saved. Equipment saved. And it definitely puts the enemy in a tougher situation.”

A fact not lost on the Iraqis.

“These weapons and munitions might have destroyed many buildings in Iraq and killed many people,” the Iraqi National Task Force company commander said. “Many Iraqis and many babies and children,” he added.

“This makes us very happy and very proud,” he continued. “You know these soldiers are ready now. Fallujah just clarified our situation. Now when they ask us to go on missions to capture bad guys or terrorists, the soldiers are very enthusiastic at any time.

“Anytime they want us to clear Iraq of bad guys, we'll go,” the officer said. “In Basrah, Mosul, Baghdad … anywhere

[FishForLunch]

Iraqi Gratitude
The new government is thanking America and Bush. Why are the media silent?

Tuesday, June 8, 2004 12:01 a.m. EDT

A myth has developed that Iraqis aren't grateful for their liberation from Saddam. So it's worth noting that the leaders of Iraq's new interim government have been explicit and gracious in their thanks, not that you've heard this from the U.S. media.

First in Arabic and then in English, Prime Minister Iyad Allawi said in his inaugural address to the Iraqi people last Tuesday that "I would like to record our profound gratitude and appreciation to the U.S.-led international coalition, which has made great sacrifices for the liberation of Iraq." In his own remarks, President Ghazi al-Yawer said: "Before I end my speech, I would like us to remember our martyrs who fell in defense of freedom and honor, as well as our friends who fell in the battle for the liberation of Iraq."

Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari told the U.N. Security Council much the same thing last Thursday: "We Iraqis are grateful to the coalition who helped liberate us from the persecution of Saddam Hussein's regime. We thank President Bush and Prime Minister Blair for their dedication and commitment."

We thought our readers might like to know.

[Mavdog]

This was carried by all the news services and on the front page of the NY Times and the DMN. No idea why you appear to have missed it.

[FishForLunch]

Not just me

------------------------------

Morton Kondracke: Media bias suppresses 'good' Iraq news
By MORTON KONDRACKE, Newspaper Enterprise Association
June 8, 2004

At his first appearance as Iraq's new prime minister last Tuesday, Iyad Allawi switched from Arabic to English to say, "I would like to thank the coalition, led by the United States, for the sacrifices they have provided in the process of the liberation of Iraq."

A pretty remarkable statement, is it not, in a country where — to listen to the U.S. media — everybody hates us? Unfortunately, given the media coverage of the event, you'd never know Allawi said it.

Neither The Washington Post's front-page story on the appointment of Iraq's new government, nor The New York Times' story the same day, made any mention of Allawi's thank you to America. Nor did The Wall Street Journal's story or the Los Angeles Times'.

Of course, Fox News — a network for whom I punditize — ran tape of Allawi making the statement. So did ABC's "Nightline." No other network did, although CNN did mention it and CBS carried a clip of President Bush calling attention to Allawi's remarks.

There are two lessons to be drawn from this coverage. First, conservatives are right to charge that the U.S. media tilts left and is biased against Bush's Iraq policy.

And second, the Bush administration must do a better job of getting Iraqis who support U.S. policy — who, in fact, are risking their lives to support U.S. policy — to get on American television and state their case.

Allawi added that "after 35 years of a ruthless, tyrannical regime, and after the liberation of Iraq by the coalition forces under the leadership of the United States, we are starting our march toward sovereignty and democracy."

That statement was carried on Al-Jazeera — the often-rabidly anti-U.S. Arabic news network — but not in the American media.

To be fair, The Washington Post did quote Allawi saying "we need the support of the multinational forces to defeat the enemies of Iraq." It did so in the 11th paragraph of its story on the appointment of the interim government.

USA Today carried the statement as well, in the fourth paragraph of its story. It was in the 10th paragraph of The New York Times story, and in the 26th paragraph of the L.A. Times story.

You think I am being too harsh in judging media coverage? Just look at the front-page attention given to practically every wrinkle of the Abu Ghraib prison scandal story — and the total absence of outrage at the statement Thursday by Bush-hater George Soros that Abu Ghraib "hit us the same way as the (Sept. 11, 2001) attack itself."

At the liberal "Take Back America" conference in Washington, Soros also said that the war on terrorism "has claimed more innocent victims than the original attack itself."

Even though Soros is a major player in the 2004 presidential campaign, funding anti-Bush activities with tens of millions of dollars, his remarks got practically no media attention — except on Fox News — and no one pointed out that World War II also claimed more innocent victims than the number who died at Pearl Harbor.

Major media coverage of the Iraq war is typified by The Washington Post's repeated, almost formulaic front-page articles that open with quotes from an Iraqi dissatisfied by a lack of electricity or security and then launch into the reporter's negative evaluation of the entire U.S. occupation.

One of the latest, by Edward Cody, ran last Thursday under the headline "To Many, Mission Not Accomplished." It carried the subhead "Residents Say Occupation's Unkept Promises, Military Tactics Fuel Resistance."

On May 19, as just one other example, the Post carried a front-page story by Robin Wright and Thomas Ricks, headlined "U.S. Faces Growing Fears of Failure" among largely unnamed U.S. lawmakers, Iraqis and administration officials.

Last Friday, on the other hand, after Iraq's new government gained the blessing of Shiite Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, arguably the most influential person in Iraq, the Post carried the story on page A18.

The New York Times buried it on page A15, in a box just above the news of the statement by Iraq's new foreign minister, Hoshyar Zebari, that "any premature departure of international forces would lead to chaos and the real possibility of a civil war."

If the U.S. media are going to consistently underplay Iraqi testimonials of thanks and of the need for U.S. forces to stay, then the Bush administration has to do a better job of getting their statements publicized.

The White House can urge the Iraqis to appear on Sunday talk shows — Allawi has been asked to do so, but has refused until he addresses the Iraqi people. Or President Bush can hold joint news conferences with them.

Two weeks ago, the Pew Research Center published the latest study demonstrating that many more national news reporters identify themselves as "liberal" (34 percent) than "conservative" (7 percent).

While most (54 percent) consider themselves "moderate," even the "moderates" demonstrated that they had liberal attitudes on religion, gay rights and activist government.

It's unfortunate that Pew did not ask journalists how they feel about Iraq. I'd bet such a poll would demonstrate that the defeatism conveyed in media coverage on Iraq grows directly out of reporters' political attitudes. (The poll did find that 55 percent of national reporters believe the media are "not critical enough" of Bush.)

America's hope for victory in Iraq depends on Bush's getting the good news on Iraq directly to Americans. The media won't help.

[u2sarajevo]

Originally posted by: Mavdog
This was carried by all the news services and on the front page of the NY Times and the DMN. No idea why you appear to have missed it.

I get the DMN every day. I guess I must have not received that day's copy.... although I read it religously every day....

hmmmm.....

[Drbio]

Originally posted by: Mavdog
This was carried by all the news services and on the front page of the NY Times and the DMN. No idea why you appear to have missed it.

Uh...no. But feel free to show links or examples. You'll be searching for a while.

[Mavdog]

Here's the NYTimes article,
NY Times

Here's the DMN article,
DMN

or perhaps this one
DMN article

yep, I read these in my print edition of Dallas' only major daily. Maybe you get a different edition....

edit:

Uh...no. But feel free to show links or examples. You'll be searching for a while

wow, bio, that took the whole of 3 minutes to find...

[Drbio]

Wow dog...I'm impressed. You finally hit on one. I'll make a note in my calendar and wait until 2016 for you to do it again.


BTW, does three media outlets really constitute "all" of the media outlets?

[Usually Lurkin]

reading the dallas morning news tell us that Iraqi leaders are afraid of the disaster that would follow a premature US pullout - and that "there were signs of hope" in that Al-Sadr is laying down arms - is a lot like listening to Don Nelson tell his team "We can still win this one" with desparation in his face as they led going into the fourth quarter.

[FishForLunch]

Yeah right NY Times is sorry that the Iraqi PM had kind words for the liberation of Iraq, that why they could not bring themselves to print the Headline, "Iraqi PM acknowledges the Sacrifices of the Coalition."

How come they missed this quote

I would like to record our profound gratitude and appreciation to the U.S.-led international coalition, which has made great sacrifices for the liberation of Iraq." In his own remarks, President Ghazi al-Yawer said: "Before I end my speech, I would like us to remember our martyrs who fell in defense of freedom and honor, as well as our friends who fell in the battle for the liberation of Iraq."

Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari told the U.N. Security Council much the same thing last Thursday: "We Iraqis are grateful to the coalition who helped liberate us from the persecution of Saddam Hussein's regime. We thank President Bush and Prime Minister Blair for their dedication and commitment."


I am sure it did not fit their Agenda

[u2sarajevo]

Originally posted by: Mavdog
Here's the NYTimes article,
NY Times

Here's the DMN article,
DMN

or perhaps this one
DMN article

yep, I read these in my print edition of Dallas' only major daily. Maybe you get a different edition....

edit:

wow, bio, that took the whole of 3 minutes to find...

Those links you provided (the DMN ones, I don't read the NYTimes) were not to this article posted by fishforlunch....

Try again.