Question for those who claim the media is lying about Iraq?

Question

Where did you get your information?

Chainsaw: I hear good things about Iraq in the media all the time. Try again.

Answer 1

Iraq is a civil war.......troops need to get their asses home........enough said!!!!!!!!

Answer 2

I was recently on a flight with a young(about 20) soldier who was fresh from Iraq. We chatted briefly about how he was planning to spend his leave, and after thanking him for his sevice, he asked me a question. He asked me if I knew why the news coverage never mentioned the good things that our military has done. He told me of how they had helped to build several schools, allowing children (especially girls) to learn in a open eviornment. He told me of how the unit medics, and division medical staff have helped men, women and children with treatable medical conditions that had been unattended for years, and how many of the soldiers have had their own familys send toys that they distributed to the local kids, because many of them had nothing.

I was heartbroken that the only real answer I could give him, was that unfortunatly, with many in the media opposed to our military involvement, that such stories wouldn't make "good tv". The only two bits of solice I could take were first,that I was able to tell him that there are many of us who honor what he and his fellow soldiers are doing, and we will not forget any of their sacrifice. Secondly, when we landed at the small regional airport, there were nearly 500 friends, family, and former sevicemen there to welcome him. I will never forget it.

Answer 3

I get my information from my son-in-law and other soldiers serving there. While they indicate that the reports we receive in the media are truthful, they go on to state that they do not present the entire story of what is going on in Iraq and appear designed to highlight the negative.

Answer 4

The media told me that Bush lied about Iraq. And, not because that is what the news casters said, but listening to his own speaches on TV when trying to gain support for the war. His speaches were fluid. They never stayed the same and adapted to the lack of evidence.

Answer 5

El Presidente Bushster!

Answer 6

A long time friend who served 2 tours. The media reports the bad that happens in a small area of the country. All the good is not being reported because it does not fit their agenda.

Answer 7

Not lying but reporting the truth.

Answer 8

Personal first hand experience.

Answer 9

Here is a pretty damned reliable source::::::::::::::Subject: FW: Not from NYT, AP, NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN, etc.
>>>Some interesting observations.......
>>>This email is from a guy who's in Iraq...
>>> >
>>> > No politics here, just a Marine with a bird's eye view opinion:
>>> >
>>> > 1) The M-16 rifle:
>>> >
>>> > Thumbs down. Chronic jamming problems with the talcum powder like sand over there. The sand is everywhere. Jordan says
>>> >you feel filthy 2 minutes after coming out of the shower. The M-4 carbine version is more popular because it's lighter and
>>> > shorter, but it has jamming problems also. They lack the ability to mount the various optical gunsights and weapons lights
>>> >on the picattiny rails, but the weapon itself is not great in a desert environment. They all hate the 5.56mm (.223) round. Poor
>>> > penetration on the cinderblock structure common over there and even torso hits can't be reliably counted on to put the
>>> >enemy down.
>>> >
>>> > Fun fact:
>>> >
>>> > Random autopsies on dead insurgents show a high level of opiate use .
>>> >
>>> > 2) The M243SAW (squad assault weapon): .223 cal. Drum fed light machine gun .
>>> >
>>> > Big thumbs down. Universally considered a piece of ****. Chronic jamming problems, most of which require partial
>>> >disassembly (that's fun in the middle of a firefight).
>>> >
>>> > 3) The M9 Beretta 9mm:
>>> >
>>> > Mixed bag. Good gun, performs well in desert environment; but they all hate the 9mm cartridge. The use of handguns for
>>> > self-defense is actually fairly common. Same old story on the 9mm: Bad guys hit multiple times and still in the fight.
>>> >
>>> > 4) Mossberg 12ga. Military shotgun:
>>> >
>>> > Works well, used frequently for clearing houses to good effect.
>>> >
>>> > 5) The M240 Machine Gun: 7.62 Nato (.308) cal. belt fed machine gun, developed to replace the old M-60 (what a beautiful
>>> >weapon that was!!).
>>> >
>>> > Thumbs up. Accurate, reliable, and the 7.62 round puts 'em down. Originally developed as a vehicle mounted weapon, more and
>>> >more are being dismounted and taken into the field by infantry. The 7.62 round chews up the structure over there.
>>> >
>>> > 6) The M2 50 cal heavy machine gun:
>>> >
>>> > Thumbs way, way up. "Ma deuce" is still worth her considerable weight in gold. The ultimate fight stopper, puts their
>>> >***** in the dirt every time. The most coveted weapon in-theater.
>>> >
>>> > 7) The .45 pistol:
>>> >
>>> > Thumbs up. Still the best pistol round out there.Everybody authorized to carry a sidearm is trying to get their hands
>>> >on one. With few exceptions, can reliably be expected to put 'em down with a torso hit. The special ops guys (who are doing
>>> >most of the pistol work) use the HK military model and supposedly love it. The old government model .45's are being
>>> >re-issued en masse.
>>> >
>>> > 8) The M-14:
>>> >
>>> > Thumbs up. They are being re-issued in bulk, mostly in a modified version to special ops guys. Modifications
>>> >include lightweight Kevlar stocks and low power red dot or ACOG sights. Very reliable in the sandy environment, and they love the
>>> >7.62 round.
>>> >
>>> > 9) The Barrett .50 cal sniper rifle:
>>> >
>>> > Thumbs way up. Spectacular range and accuracy and hits like a freight train. Used frequently to take out vehicle suicide
>>> > bombers (we actually stop a lot of them) and barricaded enemy. It is definitely here to stay.
>>> >
>>> > 10) The M24 sniper rifle:
>>> >
>>> > Thumbs up. Mostly in .308 but some in 300 win mag. Heavily modified Remington 700's. Great performance. Snipers have
>>> >been used heavily to great effect. Rumor has it a marine sniper on his third tour in Anbar province has actually exceeded
>>> >Carlos Hathcock's record for confirmed kills with OVER 100.
>>> >
>>> > 11) The new body armor:
>>> >
>>> > Thumbs up. Relatively light at approx. 6 lbs.and can reliably be expected to soak up small shrapnel and even will stop an
>>> >AK-47 round. The bad news: Hot as **** to wear, almost unbearable in the summer heat (which averages over 120 degrees). Also,
>>> >the enemy now goes for head shots whenever possible. All the bullshit about the "old" body armor making our guys
>>> >vulnerable to the IED's was a non-starter. The IED explosions are enormous and body armor doesn't make any difference at all in most cases.
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > 12) Night Vision and Infrared Equipment:
>>> >
>>> > Thumbs way up. Spectacular performance. Our guys see in
>>> >the dark
>>> > and own the night, period. Very little enemy action after
>>> > evening prayers. More and more enemy being whacked at
>>> >night
>>> > during movement by our hunter-killer teams. We've all seen
>>> >the
>>> > videos.
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > 13) Lights:
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > Thumbs up. Most of the weapon mounted and personal lights
>>> >are
>>> > Surefire's, and the troops love 'em. Invaluable for night
>>> >urban
>>> > operations. Jordan carried a $34 Surefire G2 on a neck
>>> >lanyard
>>> > and loved it. I cant help but notice that most of the good
>>> > fighting weapons and ordnance are 50 or more years
>>> >old!!!!!!!!!
>>> > With all our technology,it's the WWII and Vietnam era
>>> >weapons
>>> > that everybody wants!!!! The infantry fighting is
>>> >frequent, up
>>> > close and brutal. No quarter is given or shown.
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > Bad guy weapons:
>>> >
>>> > 1) Mostly AK47's.
>>> >
>>> > The entire country is an arsenal. Works better in the
>>> >desert
>>> > than the M16 and the .308 Russian round kills reliably.
>>> >PKM belt
>>> > fed light machine guns are also common and effective.
>>> >Luckily,
>>> > the enemy mostly shoots like ****. Undisciplined "spray
>>> >and
>>> > pray" type fire. However, they are seeing more and more
>>> > precision weapons, especially sniper rifles. (Iran, again)
>>> >
>>> > Fun fact:
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > Captured enemy have apparently marveled at the
>>> >marksmanship of
>>> > our guys and how hard they fight. They are apparently told
>>> >in
>>> > Jihad school that the Americans rely solely on technology,
>>> >and
>>> > can be easily beaten in close quarters combat for their
>>> >lack of
>>> > toughness. Let's just say they know better now.
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > 2) The RPG:
>>> >
>>> > Probably the infantry weapon most feared by our guys.
>>> >Simple,
>>> > reliable and as common as dogshit. The enemy responded to
>>> >our
>>> > up-armored Humvees by aiming at the windshields, often at
>>> >point
>>> > blank range. Still killing a lot of our guys.
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > 3) The IED:
>>> >
>>> > The biggest killer of all. Can be anything from old Soviet
>>> > anti-armor mines to jury rigged artillery shells. A lot
>>> >found in
>>> > Jordan's area were in abandoned cars. The enemy would take
>>> >2 or
>>> > 3 155 mm artillery shells and wire them together. Most
>>> >were
>>> > detonated by cell phone, and the explosions are enormous.
>>> >You're
>>> > not safe in any vehicle, even an M1 tank. Driving is by
>>> >far the
>>> > most dangerous thing our guys do over there. Lately, they
>>> >are
>>> > much more sophisticated "shape charges" (Iranian)
>>> >specifically
>>> > designed to penetrate armor. Fact: Most of the ready made
>>> >IED's
>>> > are supplied by Iran, who is also providing terrorists
>>> > (Hezbollah types) to train the insurgents in their use and
>>> > tactics. That's why the attacks have been so deadly
>>> >lately.
>>> > Their concealment methods are ingenious, the latest being
>>> >shape
>>> > charges, in Styrofoam containers spray painted to look
>>> >like the
>>> > cinderblocks that litter all Iraqi roads. We find about
>>> >40%
>>> > before they detonate, and the bomb disposal guys are
>>> >unsung
>>> > heroes of this war.
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > 4) Mortars and rockets:
>>> >
>>> > Very prevalent. The soviet era 122mm rockets (with an 18km
>>> > range) are becoming more prevalent. One of Jordan's NCO's
>>> >lost a
>>> > leg to one. These weapons cause a lot of damage "inside
>>> >the
>>> > wire". Jordan's base was hit almost daily his entire time
>>> >there
>>> > by mortar and rocket fire, often at night to disrupt sleep
>>> > patterns and cause fatigue (It did). More of a
>>> >psychological
>>> > weapon than anything else. The enemy mortar teams would
>>> >jump out
>>> > of vehicles, fire a few rounds, and then haul *** in a
>>> >matter of seconds.
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > 5) Bad guy technology:
>>> >
>>> > Simple yet effective. Most communication is by cell and
>>> > satellite phones, and also by email on laptops. They use
>>> > handheld GPS units for navigation and "Googleearth" for
>>> >overhead
>>> > views of our positions. Their weapons are good, if not
>>> >fancy,
>>> > and prevalent. Their explosives and bomb technology is TOP
>>> >OF
>>> > THE LINE. Night vision is rare. They are very careless
>>> >with
>>> > their equipment and the captured GPS units and laptops are
>>> > treasure troves of Intel when captured.
>>> >
>>> > Who are the bad guys (remember that is what the Captain
>>> >called
>>> > them!)?
>>> >
>>> > Most of the carnage is caused by the Zarqawi Al Qaeda
>>> >group.
>>> > They operate mostly in Anbar province (Fallujah and
>>> >Ramadi).
>>> > These are mostly "foreigners", non-Iraqi Sunni Arab
>>> >Jihadists
>>> > from all over the Muslim world (and Europe). Most enter
>>> >Iraq
>>> > through Syria (with, of course, the knowledge and
>>> >complicity of
>>> > the Syrian govt.), and then travel down the "rat line"
>>> >which is
>>> > the trail of towns along the EuphratesRiver that we've
>>> >been
>>> > hitting hard for the last few months. Some are virtually
>>> > untrained young Jihadists that often end up as suicide
>>> >bombers
>>> > or in various
>>> > "sacrifice squads". Most, however, are hard core
>>> >terrorists from
>>> > all the usual suspects (Al Qaeda, Hezbollah, Hamas etc.).
>>> >These
>>> > are the guys running around murdering civilians en masse
>>> >and
>>> > cutting heads off. The Chechens (many of whom are
>>> >Caucasian),
>>> > are supposedly the most ruthless and the best fighters
>>> >(they
>>> > have been fighting the Russians for years). In the Baghdad
>>> >area
>>> > and south, most of the insurgents are Iranian inspired
>>> >(and led)
>>> > Iraqi Shiites. The Iranian Shiia have been very adept at
>>> > infiltrating the Iraqi local govt.'s, the police forces
>>> >and the
>>> > Army. They have had a massive spy and agitator network
>>> >there
>>> > since the Iran-Iraq war in the early 80's. Most of the
>>> >Saddam
>>> > loyalists were killed, captured or gave up long ago.
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > Bad Guy Tactics:
>>> >
>>> > When they are engaged on an infantry level they get their
>>> >asses
>>> > kicked every time. Brave, but stupid. Suicidal Banzai-type
>>> > charges were very common earlier in the war and still
>>> >occur.
>>> > They will literally sacrifice 8-10 man teams in suicide
>>> >squads
>>> > by sending them screaming and firing AK's and RPG's
>>> >directly at
>>> > our bases just to probe the defenses. They get mowed down
>>> >like
>>> > grass every time (see the M2 and M240 above). Jordan's
>>> >base was
>>> > hit like this often. When engaged, they have a tendency to
>>> >flee
>>> > to the same building, probably for what they think will be
>>> >a
>>> > glorious last stand. Instead, we call in air and that's
>>> >the end
>>> > of that more often than not. These hole-ups are referred
>>> >to as
>>> > Alpha Whiskey Romeo's (Allah's Waiting Room). We have the
>>> >laser
>>> > guided ground-air thing down to a science. The fast
>>> >mover's,
>>> > mostly Marine F-18's, are taking an ever increasing toll
>>> >on the
>>> > enemy. When caught out in the open, the helicopter
>>> >gunships and
>>> > AC-130 Spectre Gunships cut them to ribbons with cannon
>>> >and
>>> > rocket fire, especially at night. Interestingly, artillery
>>> >is
>>> > hardly used at all.
>>> >
>>> > Fun fact:
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > The enemy death toll is supposedly between 45-50 thousand.
>>> >That
>>> > is why we're seeing less and less infantry attacks and
>>> >more IED,
>>> > suicide bomber ****. The new strategy is just simple:
>>> >attrition.
>>> > The insurgent tactic most frustrating is their use of
>>> >civilian
>>> > non-combatants as cover. They know we do all we can to
>>> >avoid
>>> > civilian casualties and therefore schools, hospitals and
>>> > (especially) Mosques are locations where they meet, stage
>>> >for
>>> > attacks, cache weapons and ammo and flee to when engaged.
>>> >They
>>> > have absolutely no regard whatsoever for inflicting
>>> >civilian
>>> > casualties. They will terrorize locals and murder without
>>> > hesitation anyone believed to be sympathetic to the
>>> >Americans or
>>> > the new Iraqi govt. Kidnapping of family members
>>> >(especially
>>> > children) is common to influence people they are trying to
>>> > influence but can't reach, such as local govt. officials,
>>> > clerics, tribal leaders, etc.).
>>> >
>>> > The first thing our guys are told is "don't get captured".
>>> >They
>>> > know that if captured they will be tortured and beheaded
>>> >on the
>>> > internet. Zarqawi openly offers bounties for anyone who
>>> >brings
>>> > him a live American serviceman. This motivates the
>>> >criminal
>>> > element who otherwise don't give a **** about the war. A
>>> >lot of
>>> > the beheading victims were actually kidnapped by common
>>> > criminals and sold to Zarqawi. As such, for our guys,
>>> >every
>>> > fight is to the death. Surrender is not an option.
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > The Iraqi's are a mixed bag.
>>> >
>>> > Some fight well, others aren't worth a damn. Most do okay
>>> >with
>>> > American support. Finding leaders is hard, but they are
>>> >getting
>>> > better. It is widely viewed that Zarqawi's use of suicide
>>> > bombers, en masse, against the civilian population was a
>>> >serious
>>> > tactical mistake. Many Iraqi's were galvanized and the
>>> >caliber
>>> > of recruits in the Army and the police forces went right
>>> >up,
>>> > along with their motivation. It also led to an exponential
>>> > increase in good intel because the Iraqi's are sick of the
>>> > insurgent attacks against civilians. The Kurds are solidly
>>> > pro-American and fearless fighters.
>>> >
>>> > Morale:
>>> >
>>> > According to Jordan, morale among our guys is very high.
>>> >They
>>> > not only believe that they are winning, but that they are
>>> > winning decisively. They are stunned and dismayed by what
>>> >they
>>> > see in the American press, whom they almost universally
>>> >view as
>>> > against them. The embedded reporters are despised and
>>> > distrusted. They are inflicting casualties at a rate of
>>> >20-1 and
>>> > then see **** like "Are we losing in Iraq" on TV and the
>>> >print
>>> > media. For the most part, they are satisfied with their
>>> > equipment, food and leadership. Bottom line though, and
>>> >they all
>>> > say this, is that there are not enough guys there to drive
>>> >the
>>> > final stake through the heart of the insurgency, primarily
>>> > because there aren't enough troops in-theater to shut down
>>> >the
>>> > borders with Iran and Syria. The Iranians and the Syrians
>>> >just
>>> > can't stand the thought of Iraq being an American ally
>>> >(with, of
>>> > course, permanent US bases there).
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > Anyway, that's it, hope you found it interesting.
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >In unity there is strength
>>> >In diversity there is dissension
>>>

Answer 10

I dunno. But those that support the current mass murderer in thief need to go down to their local recuriting office and sign for a tour.....