is there any US or UK military who are or have been to Iraq and feel that the media has a lot to do with.....?

Question

public opinion......
I get quite angry about this because so much of what the forces do out there for the people of Iraq is not reported, and the soldier's that are out there are not getting the support they should be getting. I feel that the media coverage is very biased with this and wonder what the soldier's actually feel like? I have a friend in the US army who came back from Iraq 7 month's back and will not watch any news reports from Iraq. Does the media ever change your opinion about Iraq? or do you get angry and upset? or just get on with it?

Answer 1

What I think is so sad about this war, is you will always hear about the prison scandels & how Marines/Soldiers rape & kill the innocent. However the stuff that will never make it on the evening & morning news is how a company help a town rebuild itself. Or how Soldiers build a school & taught the childern basics in edcuation. Or the fact that we are training more & more Iraqi Nationals everyday on how to stand up for themselves either Iraqi Police or Army. I dont even watch the news anymore because it is so dishearting.
Whenever I am deploying, I always tell my family, girlfriend, "dont even watch the news. Its not worth worring about." Because its not really. Heres an novel idea..... Get the media outta there & let the US Military do our thing. Anything happens, we'll let you know. Let us do the job that we went to do. It is because of the media that the American public will not stand behind us when Soldiers, Saliors, Marines, & Airmen need it the most. It gets pretty depressing when you come home on a short leave & run in to people & they tell you " I dont support the troops or President Bush". Bush may not be the greatest but I can say this, at least he had the BALLS to stand up & say "No, you will not kill Americans & not answer for your crimes." Thats why I support him.
I mean, Im 24 I 1st deployed when I was 20 to Afghanistan. Now 4 yrs later, I did it again, & will continue to do it until the job is complete. If it means a somewhat better future for everyone, Ill take up that cross with pride.
I hope this answers your question. It kinda sounds like Im ranting, but I speak on nothing but experence on this. If you have any questions, please hit me up at
c_burton86 on yahoo messanger. I will glady answer anything to the best of my ablities.

Answer 2

I think the military has a become a step child used by both the Administration and the media as they volley their counter strikes from golf courses in the Hampton's. It turns my stomach to think that anybody would revile in military misconduct and use it for promoting an agenda. It's an entirely separate issue and a reality of war. It's happens. I rarely watch the news regarding military actions anymore. I do follow politics and try to stay current on Middle East activities. I do believe there is an agenda to vilify the Administration by the press through the war in Iraq and the military. I didn't like the idea or going into Iraq from the onset but my view of the politics that got us there is not the same issue as supporting the men and woman of the military. I have learned when scandal breaks regarding military misconduct not to rush to judgment. There can be one misled solider and ten authentic ones and it's the one that the media will focus on which does not paint an accurate overall picture. I will say the press has been more effective with this tool then the Administration who seems afraid to draw back the curtain and let us see what is being done right in that country by our troops. This Administration has been terrible with confronting the press effectively and that's part of the problem. They need a new more aggressive Press Secretary and they need to polish Mr. Bush up for some unscripted interviews. I'd like to see Mr. Bush loose the cliches and express unscripted support for the military presence in Iraq with the delivery of proper armor. I'd give back my tax cut to see that happen.

Answer 3

Anybody who has been in Iraq knows that the media is only publishing the negative.

I worked in a Brigade headquarters and was constantly aware of the difference between what was really happening and the negative spin placed on events by the media.

Anybody who thinks that things in Iraq are as bad as the media claims is a fool.

It is interesting to review the answers to your question and notice that the only person who believes the media has never been to Iraq.

Answer 4

I had a couple pictures emailed to me from my CAP commander and the title read " From a soldier in Iraq, just trying to show us that not all over there is bad, and these are some photos that unfortunately will probably never make the media", these pics. touched my heart; soldiers with Iraqi kids waving the American flag, thanking President Bush; Iraqi women crying holding "Thank you America" signs, and soldiers building homes while Iraqi teens gladly helping out. It's sad that those pictures are so beautiful yet only a few will know of them b/c they media is so biased. God bless.

Answer 5

sure, certainly. Matt D, the Crusades genuinely brought about the dark an prolonged time in Europe. Ever hear approximately that era in background? And, having worked in Afghanistan, I picked up various the background of that united states of america. Afghanistan has continuously been seen jealously with the aid of the two the West and Russia. The area has been hotly fought over for some years. The Khyber pass genuinely marks the decrease to which Britain have been waiting to push of their purpose of controlling the area. Afghans stopped the British at that component. It additionally cuts contained in direction of the Pushtu tribal section which in itself has been the rationalization for conflict. interior the 1950's and 60's Afghanistan replace into component to the 'Hippy path' the place human beings have been waiting to shuttle with the aid of it without issues. surely, many women folk human beings in Kabul wore western clothing. it is, till the U.S. have been 'invited in' with the aid of the pro-communist government. only like Hungary and Czechoslovakia. Even then, their have been various faculties there. Russian involvement placed peoples backs up and the Mujaheddin organised a nationwide liberation circulate that ultimately kicked the Russians out in 1989. The Taliban who by the way have been created with the aid of the US CIA, finally seized administration of the full united states of america and leads us to the region we see immediately.

Answer 6

I think the media should have never been aloud to go into Irac with our military. They are money hungry worms that don't care what they do to the people that have made it possible for them to speak their mind. My nephew came back from Irac and is getting ready to go back. He said how the moral of our soldiers was effected by the media, especially our own media. No one reports the Irac people that are gracious and thanking them for rescuing them from a killer. In times of war the media needs to stay out. They report where we are and in danger our men and women because they don't know when to keep quite.

Answer 7

Staff Sgt. Donald White, patrol leader, Battery B, 3rd Battalion, 29th Field Artillery, 3rd Heavy BCT, 4th Infantry Division, Task Force Band of Brothers, and his team came across a box on the side of the road. Initially, White thought it was an IED until he heard crying coming from the box. He made sure there were no wires protruding from the box to ensure it wasn’t booby-trapped. Then he picked it up.“I snatched the box off the ground and ran as fast as I could and kept on running – thankfully, nothing blew up,” White said. “The skin was literally hanging off the baby and we could see he was extremely dehydrated and malnourished. “He didn’t cry at all in the vehicle but his eyes rolled in the back of his head and I thought, ‘oh my goodness he is starting to die on me.’”
The baby was reunited with his mother June 19. The mother told Iraqi Police she left the child in her daughter’s care. The daughter was carrying the baby along the road when she was chased by wild dogs. 27 June 06.

The point is, the media does not tell what is really going on. They tell what they want to tell. Here is the link http://www4.army.mil/ocpa/print.php?stor...

Answer 8

The media is presenting exactly what is going on over there...what we do not realize is what it is like to be there...I back the soldiers in their actions, not the US Government. The best support we can give our troops is to bring them home immediately.

Answer 9

The boys and girls out there from the UK and US are putting their lives on the line every day they have my support and respect

Answer 10

i was over there for a long while and they only show what they think people want to see and hear never the whole story and i think is it so wrong i too don't watch any thing about the war either they are not telling people every thing they think they need to sugar coat it grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr