Claims of GI Hostage in Iraq Raises Doubt (GI Joe dolls alert)

AP ^ | Febuary 1, 2005 | unknown

[xJones]

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - A Web site posted a photograph of what it claimed was a kidnapped U.S. soldier, but doubts were quickly raised about its authenticity and the U.S. military said no soldiers were missing.

An American toy manufacturer said the figure in the photo resembled one of its military action figures, originally produced for sale at U.S. bases in Kuwait.

The statement appeared on a Web site where militants' statements are often posted and was in the name of a group that has claimed previous kidnappings, the Mujahedeen Brigades.

The Arabic text, however, contained several misspellings and repetitions.

Staff Sgt. Nick Minecci, a U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad, said ``no units have reported anyone missing.''

The photo in the posting showed a figure dressed in desert fatigues, wearing a vest and knee pads and with a gun pointed to its head. All the items are similar to ones that come in a box with the action figure, named ``Cody.''

[xJones]

They're taking our action figure toys hostage. Oh, the humanity! Is Barbie next?

[Robert A Cook PE]

This report was echoed BY all the mainstream news media all day today, BUT (according to Atlanta local radio reports) was DEBUNKED by a local web-user who recognized the photo and the reference!

AGAIN!

WEB News breaks the story that the MSM reported falsely!

[stainlessbanner]

[isthisnickcool]

What's wrong with these people? Are they on dope?

[VisualizeSmallerGovernment]

A friend of mine owns a store that sells Dragon figures. He recognized it immediately and called the AP. They just laughed at him.

He made it to the local news today.

[xJones]

But the figure appeared stiff and expressionless. The statement said he was named ``John Adam.''

Liam Cusack, of the toy manufacturer Dragon Models USA Inc., said the image bore a striking resemblance to the African-American version of its ``Cody'' action figure.

``It is our doll ... To me, it looks definitely like it is,'' Cusack told The Associated Press. ``Everything the guy is wearing is exactly what comes with our figure. If you look at the two pictures side by side, it'd be a huge coincidence.''

Too funny that the MSM jumped all over it, and that was a toy.

[M1Tanker]

Interesting how quickly the "main stream media" was to jump on the "it's a disaster" bandwagon... and how slowly it will take for them to correct the story...if ever...

To be a fly on the wall in Teddy Kennedy's, Micheal Moore's, Kerry's, or Clinton's speach writer's office when the news of the fake happened..... All that work writing a hate speach to blast President Bush and *poof* it all goes up in smoke...

However, Barbie is reportedly attending a firarms self defense class, dumped the wimp Ken and is seeking single male Gi Joe dolls with the object of dating a real male....doll...

[Fledermaus]

EXCLUSIVE PHOTO!

BUSH CAPTURES BIN LADEN!!

[KSCITYBOY]

AP screwed the pooch on this one. They want bad news so bad they don't even look closely anymore.

[wizr]

I think it was a Rather interesting report. But, it was just another case of Cing the BS.

[mainepatsfan]

The New York Times will have a report on this tomorrow asserting that even though the soldier is fake the story is accurate.

[pennyfarmer]

It reminds me of the part on Spaceballs the movie when Col. Sanders catches Dark Helmet playing with dolls.

"No I didn't see you playing with your dolls again sir."

[Cboldt]

AP screwed the pooch on this one. They want bad news so bad they don't even look closely anymore.

AP has been known to make it up. See, e.g., "Crowd booed when Bush announced Clinton was hospitalized, and wished him well." They don't get caught often enough, IMO.

[E=MC²]

Pinko ted kennedy is now calling for Bush to immediately bring all of our toy soldiers home from Iraq.

[KSCITYBOY]

LOL...........

[xJones]

However, Barbie is reportedly attending a firarms self defense class, dumped the wimp Ken and is seeking single male Gi Joe dolls with the object of dating a real male....doll...

Oh, yeah? Several Barbies are stored with 30 Teen-Age Mutant Ninja Turtles in my attic and the last time I looked they were very happy.:)

[M1Tanker]

Besides the obvious face, several other items didn't match.
1. Wrong uniform pattern
2. Ammo Vest/Load Bearing Equipment was unfamiliar...and he was still wearing it (at least in the US Army, we disarm our prisoners)
3. The M-4 Carbine's weathering (The vertical lines in the pic) were the same on the "metal" portions of the receiver and barrel as they were on the hand-guards.
4. Also, most people wouldn't hold an M-4 without grabbing the pistol grip.

The list goes on and on... As does the traitorous nature of the Left and the Media as they jumped all over this. I would have wrote in sooner today on this, but the Army's IT people classify FreeRepublic as a "Chat site" and block us from even reading it at my base

[Leo Carpathian]

Moroon is making movie about it, Kennedy is rehearsing speech (hick), Err America will have special day long barfest, Soros is financing it all. Well oiled DuMachinery is on the roll. Must be series!

[VisualizeSmallerGovernment]

Seriously this is worse than the Dan Rather fake documents thing. Because people actually understand it. No arguments over "superscript" and such.

It's like how Al Gore sold his soul to the Communist Chinese, but was brought down when he lied about his dog's arthritis medicine.

[M1Tanker]

Doesn't that violate some law about wierd things I don't want to get into? :)