A disturbing anecdote from Col. McMaster illustrates why. His 3rd ACR broke the insurgents’ hold of the city of Tal Afar last September in an operation which generated these effusive words of praise from the town’s mayor:
“To the lion hearts who liberated our city from the grasp of terrorists who were beheading men, women and children in the streets…(you are) not only courageous men and women, but avenging angels sent by The God Himself to fight the evil of terrorism.”
Time magazine had a reporter and a photographer embedded with the 3rd ACR. When the battle was over, they filed a lengthy story and nearly 100 photographs.
“When the issue came out, the guts had been edited out of the reporter’s story and none of the photographs he submitted were used,” said the admiral, quoting Col. McMaster. “When the reporter questioned why his story was eviscerated, his editors…responded that the story and pictures were ‘too heroic.’”
Yet the same Old Media gangs have no problem with implying the heroism of those “resisting” American interests. It’s only the troops they “support” that can’t be portrayed accurately. And there’s no such reticence when it comes to portraying the troops as monsters or thugs. Not that there’s a pre-determined story line or anything.
Vietnam’s top three leaders have resigned, saying they want to make way for younger politicians.
The National Assembly in Hanoi approved the resignations of President Tran Duc Luong, Prime Minister Phan Van Khai, and Assembly Speaker Nguyen Van An.
They are in their seventies or late sixties, and failed to win re-election to the Communist Party Politburo.
[…]
The resignations were announced on Saturday by the General Secretary of the Communist Party, Nong Duc Manh.
He told the National Assembly that because of their age and the policy of rejuvenation of the leadership, the three leaders had expressed their intention of not standing for re-election.
While it’s still a Communist regime, you do have to give credit to them for not heading for the Castro / Cuba ash heap of economic failure.
American presence in Iraq is more dangerous to world peace than nuclear threats from North Korea or Iran, Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., said to an audience of more than 200 in North Miami Saturday afternoon.
I can’t decide if Rep. Murtha thinks this because “America is Evil” or because America is the only moral agent on the planet so everyone else only reacts to America.