The Washington Post and the Winter Soldiers

WinterSoldier.com ^ | March 23, 2006 | Scott Swett

[Interesting Times]

On March 17, Media Life Magazine published an article about the difficulties facing the Washington Post, which recently announced that it would have to eliminate some eighty positions over the next year, or nearly 10% of its editors and reporters. The key reason for the Post’s decline is a relentless drop in paying customers – daily subscriptions have fallen 17% in the last ten years, from 816,474 in 1995 to 678,779 in 2005.

Media Life was careful not to suggest that the paper bears any responsibility for its own problems, describing the Post as "one of America’s most celebrated newspapers, a Pulitzer Prize winner times over, and also among the best-managed." The article noted supportively that management "insists they will not cave into the pressures by compromising their high editorial standards." Media Life did observe that the Post’s circulation "is sinking faster than that of many other newspapers around the country," but neglected to mention the fact that the Post's primary competitor, the conservative Washington Times, was racking up steady circulation gains during the same period – a 3% increase in 2005 alone.

The topic of ideological bias at the Post does not appear in the Media Life article.

In December, the Post reviewed the film "Winter Soldier," a newly released 1970s agitprop piece documenting the Vietnam Veterans Against the War's horrific, unsubstantiated allegations of routine war crimes by U.S. troops in Vietnam. Perhaps the Post's "high editorial standards" were on vacation that day, because Ann Hornaday's review was a grotesquely biased valentine to the VVAW propagandists and their vicious film.

As the creator of the research web site WinterSoldier.com, I knew several things about the topic that Hornaday obviously didn't, so I fired off the following letter to the Post:

Ann Hornaday's review of the 1971 documentary film, "Winter Soldier" overlooks a rather important aspect of the tales of American atrocities in Vietnam the film records - the fact that after more than 34 years of investigation by the U.S. military, historians, researchers and journalists, not one of the "war crimes" alleged by the Vietnam Veterans Against the War during the "Winter Soldier Investigation" has ever been proven to be true.

Records available in the National Archives show that the House Committee on Armed Services directed the Department of Defense to conduct a "prompt review" of the Winter Soldier Investigation testimony in April 1971. Army investigators determined that 46 of the allegations, if true, would qualify as war crimes, and opened a case file for each. Three individuals could not be identified. The other 43 cases were resolved as follows: 25 individuals making the allegations "refused to provide factual data," 13 more provided information to investigators that "did not support the allegations," and the final 5 could not be located.

Records of the Naval investigation are not available in the Archives, but the respected historian Guenter Lewy included a summary of the Naval Investigative Service report on the event in his 1977 book, "America in Vietnam." Lewy noted the VVAW's "use of fake witnesses and the failure to cooperate with military authorities and to provide crucial details."

None of the military investigations resulted in any charges being filed.

Hornaday accepts the claims made at the Jane Fonda-funded conference at face value, writing, "Recreational killing of civilians, rape, arson, torture: They did it, or saw it, all." She describes the film as an "eloquent, unforgettable tale of profound moral reckoning," and singles out this remark:

"I didn't like being an animal," one veteran explains on the hearing dais. "And I didn't like seeing everyone else turned into an animal."

Hornaday is presumably unaware that she is quoting Steve Pitkin, the only "Winter Soldier" participant to file a legal affidavit about the events there. His affidavit states that VVAW leaders pressured him to testify about war crimes and atrocities that never took place. Pitkin now describes the Winter Soldier Investigation as "a pack of lies."

Touting the discredited propaganda of the Vietnam Veterans Against the War as an "eloquent, unforgettable tale of profound moral reckoning" furthers the perception that balanced political information is not to be found at The Post. More importantly, it does a real disservice to the honorable veterans of the Vietnam War.

To my mild surprise, I received a call a couple of days later from Gina Acosta, the letters editor for the Post. My letter was excellent, she said, and the Post would like to publish it, but it was rather long. Could I trim it to about 200 words and send it directly to her?

I did so. Ms. Acosta wrote back, "Thanks so much. I may not be able to publish this until next week."

Then, apparently, something happened. The letter failed to appear the next week, or during the weeks that followed. Ms. Acosta ignored my follow-up emails and phone calls. Obviously someone at the Post – presumably not Ms. Acosta – had decided to leave the paper's readers with only one side of the story about the film "Winter Soldier."

Media analyst John Morton thinks that the declining fortunes of the Post are beyond its control, caused primarily by the ever-bigger bite online publications are taking out of print newspapers. "Generally speaking," said Morton to Media Life Magazine, "their circulation will continue to decline. I don’t know that there’s any solution."

I certainly hope he’s right.

[Interesting Times]

The propaganda wars continue...

[Interesting Times]

Winter Soldier ping...

[sgtbono2002]

The Pinko Post

[Interesting Times]

Relax. There's really no cause for concern...

[Freee-dame]

bump

[walford]

I recall over 20 years ago cancelling my subscription to the WP-owned Newsweek magazine. Why? On the cover was a barefoot little girl standing on the dirt. Caption: Reagan's America: ...and the poor get poorer.

[doug from upland]

Great work, Scott. There is evidence of another matter the WASHPOST won't discuss. John Kerry attended a meeting in Kansas City where the VVAW voted on whether to assassinate U.S. senators. He resigned his leadership position and, I am sure, voted no. He failed, however, to notify the FBI about the conspiracy.

[Grampa Dave]

"The propaganda wars continue..."

The trend lines of the stock values of the lying/Enroning Fishwraps, show that we are winning this war with the real polls, the street value of their stocks.

[Howlin]

nearly 10% of its editors and reporters.

I sure wish we could pick the ones that have to go. I've got my list all ready, as I'm sure you do.

Excellent post.

[Grampa Dave]

I recall over 20 years ago cancelling my subscription to the WP-owned Newsweek magazine. Why? On the cover was a barefoot little girl standing on the dirt. Caption: Reagan's America: ...and the poor get poorer.

Newsweak wasn't the only maggot infested left wing organization attacking President Reagan.

The MSM and far right wing of like the John Birchers tried to bury RR with lies and bs like this. It didn't work then, and it will not work now.

[Grampa Dave]

This is an interesting article on the treason of the Compost in the Nam era and how that arrogance maybe wrecking the Compost today.

[Interesting Times]

Tom Lipscomb did a couple of excellent articles on that:

How Kerry Quit Veterans Group Amid Dark Plot

New Witness: Kerry Was Present at Dark Plot Meeting

The Kerryites initially denied that their boy was present at the meeting, but were forced to back down after Lipscomb found about 8 eyewitnesses who said he was there.

WinterSoldier.com broke the story that Kerry had continued to represent the VVAW even after the "assassination summit."

March 19, 2004 -- **BREAKING** WinterSoldier.com has obtained solid evidence that John Kerry continued to represent the VVAW well after the infamous November 12-15 1971 meeting at which that organization voted on whether to commit political assassinations. See our new "So when did John Kerry leave the VVAW, anyway?" links in the Documents, Film Clips, Audio and Cartoons section.

For example, the New York Times identified Kerry as "spokesman for Vietnam Veterans Against the War" in this article on January 11, 1972. In fact, as late as April 22, 1972, Kerry was still being identified in press reports as a "leader of the Vietnam Veterans Against the War."

Link

[E.G.C.]

BTTT

[STARWISE]

Bump!

[devolve]

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

"Yes, indeed- John Kerry thinks it's 1971 all over again. Yesterday, on "Face the Nation"
John Kerry once again slams American troops- Check it out-

"And there is no reason, Bob, that young American soldiers need to be going into homes of Iraqis in the dead of night, terrorizing kids and children, you know, women, breaking sort of the customs of the-of-the historical customs, religious customs."

Here is the transcript for "Face the Nation"-

http://www.cbsnews.com/htdocs/pdf/face_120405.pdf

You will find this statement at the bottom of page 4 and the top of page 5.



"When former Attorney General Ramsey Clark isn’t defending Saddam Hussein, or giving speeches for the crypto-Stalinist International ANSWER, he’s acting as counsel for the Palestine Liberation Organization, trying to prevent families of murdered Jews from collecting on judgments against the PLO."
Little Green Footballs ^ | November 28, 2005 | Charles Johnson

From Kerry's "The New Soldier":

Al Hubbard Sgt., 22 Troop Carrier Squadron Aug. ’65-June ’66
Emotions: Walking down the flight line at Saigon past stacks of aluminum cases containing American bodies and past stacks of aluminum luggage containing American currency. Seeing the tight, sad face of an Airman loading the bodies aboard a dirty Air Force Transport and the wide smiling face of a stewardess greeting the passengers aboard a clean Pan American Clipper Jet. Hearing a Vietnamese beg you to leave his country and an American colonel tells you to bomb his country. Hearing a Vietnamese invite you to live in his home, after the war and an American explain why you can’t live in his block, after the war. Flying over barren, brown, safe American held terrain and over lush, green unsafe enemy terrain. Feeling happy to be leaving a country in which you do not belong and sad to be returning to a country in which you are not allowed to belong. Sacrificing a portion of your consciousness so you won’t have to deal with being there and building mental blocks so you won’t have to deal with having been there.

- Al Hubbard, proven fraud who never set foot in Viet Nam. The only Vietnamese he ever met was when he was collaborating with the North Vietnamese in Paris on the American Communist Party's nickel.

John Kerry's explanation: "He (Hubbard) simply exaggarated his particular position.
But nobody knew it at the time.
And those things happen."

Free online version of
hanoi kerry's playbook "The New Soldier"
You can read it online right now.

[Interesting Times]

I sure wish we could pick the ones that have to go. I've got my list all ready, as I'm sure you do.

As long as the MSM keeps shrinking at a steady rate, I'm not inclined to be picky.

Excellent post.

Thanks...

[E.G.C.]

BTTT

[Just A Nobody]

NEVER FORGET!

[BIGLOOK]

BTTT

[Gucho]

[Soaring Feather]

bump

[oyez]

Media Life was careful not to suggest that the paper bears any responsibility for its own problems,

If the major dailies went to its ex-subscribers they would find out that they got tired of reading "all that crap." Apparently they are so preoccupied with printing "all that crap", that they will take "all that crap" with them to their figurative graves. Anyway, one can only hope.

In reflection it may be too late. Ex-readers have had enough time to find that they don't need a pound and a half of paper pulp dropped in their driveway to get the news. Now days most well informed people hardly ever need to pick up a newspaper.

One would think that all those highly educated people working at the Washington Post could arrive at that conclusion.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Here is a link to the latest screwup at the NY Times and what it says about their MINDSET (see post # 9):

Another Bad Slip for 'NY Times': Katrina Victim Unmasked

[doug from upland]

I spoke with Tom several times, and was on the phone hammering reporters to do the story. Although it was not what it should have been, I got the Boston Globe and L.A. Times to do the story. This was sent to Tom; he loved his song ---

Skip to comments.

DFU SONG: Battle of New Orleans (Kerry and the battle of Kansas City)
DFU SONG PARODIES | 3-2004 | Lyrics, Doug from Upland

Posted on 03/21/2004 10:37:32 AM PST by doug from upland

http://evenmoresapphiredreams.bravepages.com/B/Midi_B.html

MIDI - BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS

It's mid November nineteen seventy one
A major confrontation, friends, was said to have begun
Some vets had done some planning...they were getting really sore
They would move to the next level in attempts to stop the war

The FBI had been watchin' 'em in action
They're gettin' real scary...what's the next thing they would do?
In Kansas City would the plot gain traction
Would senators see pearly gates before the year was through?

A young John F. Kerry had been telling great big lies
U.S. troops pulled off mass murder, that should come as no surprise
They're killing for pleasure and were zapping testicles
Before the U.S. Congress he was spreading all that bull

The FBI had been watchin' 'em in action
They're gettin' real scary...what's the next thing they would do?
In Kansas City would the plot gain traction
Would senators see pearly gates before the year was through?

Back in Vietnam there were some men held by the Cong
They were undergoing torture...that side thought it wasn't wrong
They used John's words...and for the men it's really rough
John F. Kerry, you're a traitor...we have really had enough

The FBI had been watchin' 'em in action
They're gettin' real scary...what's the next thing they would do?
In Kansas City would the plot gain traction
Would senators see pearly gates before the year was through?

Scott Camil had been screamin' "It's time we were votin'!
Are you with or against us...we must know where you all stand"
John told them no and gave his resignation
'Cause after all, you know, that a career had been well-planned

He's hidden the record and hoped we would not find out
But Tom Lipscomb found the story...we know what John's all about
A lesson Kerry learned is now becoming evident
If you are whacking senators, you can't be president

The FBI had been watchin' 'em in action
They're gettin' real scary...what's the next thing they would do?
In Kansas City would the plot gain traction
Would senators see pearly gates before the year was through?

Scott Camil had been screamin' "It's time we were votin'!
Are you with or against us...we must know where you all stand"
John told them no and gave his resignation
'Cause after all, you know, that a career had been well-planned

[Grampa Dave]

Their arrogance will prevent them from discovering the truth and how we have zero tolerance for their lies and hatred of our President.

[Grampa Dave]

Try this link instead re the latest Katrina lie by the Slimes in their drugged orgy to hurt GW.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1601672/posts

Another Bad Slip for 'NY Times': Katrina Victim Unmasked
E&P ^ | 03/23/2006 | By E&P Staff


Posted on 03/23/2006 8:14:51 AM PST by LM_Guy


NEW YORK For the second time in less than a week, The New York Times today admitted to a serious error in a story. On Saturday it said it had misidentified a man featured in the iconic "hooded inmate" photograph from Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. Today it discloses that a woman it profiled on March 8 is not, in fact, a victim of Hurricane Katrina--and was arrested for fraud and grand larceny yesterday.

[Jimmy Valentine's brother]

Thanks for the ping!

[GOPJ]

The topic of ideological bias at the Post does not appear in the Media Life article.

They missed the elephant in the room? Amazing.

[oyez]

Constructive criticism is good for the for the country and the key word being constructive. So many writers and so little thought.

[Grampa Dave]

Liberals can't use constructive criticism. Its against their basic DNA code.

[abner]

Nice.

[Interesting Times]

Thanks.

[zot]

Thanks for this article, and the ping. No doubt one of the senior staff at the Washington Post spiked your letter. By the evidence, their editorial policy has been anti-american ever since Catherine Graham took over from her father.

[Interesting Times]

It doesn't seem to be working for them as well as it used to...

[zot]

Thanks to the Internet and you and people like you.

[R. Scott]

Media Life was careful not to suggest that the paper bears any responsibility for its own problems…

Of course not. Our “esteemed” news media is only trying to educate us poor, ignorant masses of the Great Unwashed. If we refuse to be brainwashed educated it isn’t their fault. Just because we can recognize pure BS (like Hanoi John’s Winter Soldier “investigation”) doesn’t mean the Post isn’t a reputable news source.

Excuse me while I barf on my keyboard.

[Liz]

Thanks for the ping. Who knew (smirk)?

[Hardastarboard]

My all time (no pun intended) favorite magazine cover was Time magazine's cover with a handgun and the caption in giant letters "Enough!" after Colin Ferguson shot all those Long Island commuters with a gun he illegally bought in California. The agenda was never more clear than that, and I vowed never to buy another Time product after that cover. F--k Time magazine.

[RaceBannon]

Thank you, I.T.!

[potlatch]

There's the 'frosty' eyeball!

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!