Embedded Reporter Upbeat About Iraq

Human Events Online ^ | 30 Nov., 2006 | John Hawkins

[wgflyer]

Last week, I had an opportunity to interview Michael Fumento, who has now been embedded in Iraq three times and has recently returned from a trip to Ramadi. If you're looking for someone in the media with the ground experience in Iraq, you couldn't do much better than Michael Fumento. Now, on to the interview, which has been edited.

Now, Michael, you were just embedded with the troops out in the field in Ramadi. There are not a lot of reporters who do that. Why do you think that is and do you think reporters over there lose perspective if they don't embed?

[wgflyer]

Reasonably good news, for a change....

[Allegra]

I have never heard an enlisted man say anything nice about the media, (but) I have heard them say, out of nowhere, "I hate the bleeping media," and I'm thinking, where did that come from and I hope it wasn't directed at me (laughs). But, I don't think it was. They were on friendly terms with me by the time they were saying things like that. The "enlisteds" will tell you that the media are doing a very bad job in Iraq. Now, the officers, the higher you get in the ranks, get more and more political. But, the lower officers will also tell you the same thing.

I've never heard an officer, high or low have anything nice to say about the media in Iraq. Oh, I've heard them say things about the media, but never anything very complimentary. ;-)

This reporter, however, seems more honest and grounded than the majority of them.

[Lurker]

My God, to think about a broad daylight entrance into Ramadi down Route Michigan six months ago, people would have thought you were crazy. You would have gotten a discharge from the military for suggesting it. Now it's routine.

Funny we have to get this from Human Events and not say, the NYT.

Yea, I know...

L

[SandRat]

Poor Michael Fumento, he's in trouble now. He violated Urinalistic Protocol; he's pooh-poohing the bar-stool "Pros" and doing his job the real way, the right way, on the ground reporting the truth. < / editorilizing

[tiki]

I was talking to a friend yesterday whose son is over there and he had just told her not to believe anything the media is saying.

[Allegra]

I was talking to a friend yesterday whose son is over there and he had just told her not to believe anything the media is saying.

That's what I tell people at home all the time. If they contact me all worried, I tell them "Turn it off. You're nont getting the truth."

[ExTexasRedhead]

Why is it so impossible to get the truth out? The MSM is playing the Vietnam game all over again and the American dolts are eating it up. Meanwhile, we have a determined enemy that wants to destroy us. Now, we can add Pelosi and Liberal cohorts to that list.

[Tribune7]

ping

[wgflyer]

Most of the media seem to be very much with the traitors in our midst. That must be particularly apparent over there. It makes those particular individuals who aren't stand out all the more brilliantly. Kudos to them, and to all of you doing a great job over there under horrible conditions.

May our next generation of leaders come from this current generation of incredible individuals who now make this sacrifice for us. We need them desperately, as they actually understand what we're up against in this world, from within and without. And they have the courage to face it.

[tiki]

I wish I had an answer. I have to say that the media has so demonized this war and President Bush that even those who are on the same side don't say much in public unless they already know the people they are talking to have the same views. The liberals I know are impossible to reason with and I no longer even attempt to argue with them.

I honestly didn't know what position this friend of mine had, I just asked how her son was doing and she volunteered the info and THEN we started talking about all the lies.