A Top U.S. General in Iraq Blames Public's Antiwar Views on the Media

EDITOR & PUBLISHER ^ | September 21, 2007 | E&P Staff

[Andy from Beaverton]

A Top U.S. General in Iraq Blames Public's Antiwar Views on the Media

By E&P Staff

Published: September 21, 2007 3:10 PM ET

NEW YORK Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch, commander of the Army's 3rd Infantry Division, said Thursday, back in the U.S. on leave at Fort Stewart, that the war in Iraq is "a winnable mission" if the the media would only cooperate.

"If the American people are informed properly," Lynch told reporters after he arrived home on leave, "I believe they will be supportive of the mission. But they're not getting the right story. As a result, they're anti the war."

The media use a "filter" that downplays information about American successes: "All I'm seeing when I watch TV ... is the bad news and not the good news."

After listing severall alleged signs of progress, Lynch said, "But you never see that by watching Fox, CNN and NBC....

"We would not have put soldiers in harm's way if we didn't think this was a winnable mission," he said.

"If you're getting your news from the national media, you're not getting the whole picture. To say you support soldiers, but not the war is just silly. I believe Americans, if they knew everything, would be supporting the mission."

The Savannah Morning News and local TV stations carried his remarks.

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E&P Staff

[Andy from Beaverton]

[PISANO]

A hearty BTTT!!

[Allegra]

That's IT in a nutshell.

RIGHT ON, General!

[vbmoneyspender]

After listing several alleged signs of progress, Lynch said . . .

Case closed.

[PA Engineer]

BTTT.

[frposty]

Would be nice if he’d suggested where we could go for balance news. He could even have mentioned a military site.

I personally think the anti-war bias is really anti-Bush.

It’s interesting that the anti-war crowd has not been successful passing anti-war laws. The real reason, which we never hear, is that the public thinks the cause is good and we might actually prevail, and also that the public indeed has confidence with our leadership.

[pieceofthepuzzle]

“To say you support soldiers, but not the war is just silly.”

At the very least. Disingenuous is more like it. The hope that the American anti-war contingent will save them is a big part of what keeps the enemy going. It helps them recruit and it helps them prop up morale. Being openly anti-war in this context by definition puts our troops in greater danger. Therefore it is more than just ‘silly’ to say you support soldiers but not the war.

[JackRyanCIA]

It is quite extraordinary how 90% of the media can produce propaganda day in and day out and control the masses the way they do. And get away with it. Just like the fascists of the 1930's.

[vietvet67]

“It helps them recruit and it helps them prop up morale.”

And therefore costs American lives..

[Erik Latranyi]

It’s interesting that the anti-war crowd has not been successful passing anti-war laws. The real reason, which we never hear, is that the public thinks the cause is good and we might actually prevail, and also that the public indeed has confidence with our leadership.

I think the American people just want to see Iraq wrapped up due to a lack of patience (I blame the TV culture). Everytime the media portrays it as a mission without end, the support drops. Everytime there is a glimmer of hope, support rises.

[SandRat]

This is an oldie from the days of Queen Victoria on the British Press then. My how times haven't changed, just a wider Nationality.

JOURINALIST’s WARNING!

A British ditty from the beginning of the last century:

"You do not have
To bribe or twist
The arm
Of the British journalist
Considering what he would do
Unasked
There is no reason to."

Inspired by the "caveat emptor" principle of Roman law, which sounds a note of caution for potential buyers, media consumers should heed the unwritten warning, "Reader/Viewer/Listener beware." And some Strong Criticism within the journalistic profession wouldn’t hurt either.

[God luvs America]

I’m sure the criminal liberal media will be all over this guy...think Moveon will be running an ad on him???

[tobyhill]

The media wanted so hard to make this another Vietnam where facts don’t matter only distorted minds. Where the enemies garner no victories but win with propaganda. Where groups like Moveon and Code Pink set the policy. Where brave US troops lose a life and is perceived as having deserved it. Where small truths surrounded by an overall lie is taken in as the whole story. Where closeups are portrayed as the neighborhood, neighborhoods are portrayed as the city and the city the whole country while the country still exist. Where dispute amongst politicians are claimed to be an extension of the “civil war”, the same “civil war” that 95% of the country can’t find. Where the media can claim Al-Qaeda wasn’t, is, could be, not really the same group in Iraq.
What is the truth? Is the truth in between no progress and 80% progress? When has any positive progress become negative? Iraq has passed more legislation in the past 9 months than our own legislators.

[maine-iac7]

Say it loud
Say it clear
Say if often = and give net links where people CAN see the good and successful side -

Actually, we should be Freeping the media with links that report what they wont:

http://www.mnf-iraq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=14171&Itemid=128

http://www.mnfwest.usmc.mil/

http://www.defendamerica.mil/articles/sep2007/a091907tj4.html

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=47544

and other links???

We need to get the media AND everyone else reading these stories. Once we get even just ONE outlet to start airing some of the good news = there should be an end of the broadcast “Some Good News” story each day - Maybe O’Reilly could be persuaded = Let's FREEP him about it = and Rush

[Kevmo]

The media use a “filter” that downplays information about American successes: “All I’m seeing when I watch TV ... is the bad news and not the good news.”
***The LSM still has a lot of weight in this country. They’ve also decided that Duncan Hunter is a non-candidate, generating a media blackout. Freepers & bloggers are on the bleeding edge of breaking through this terrible monopolistic setup, but there’s still a lot of work to do.

[maine-iac7]

The troops are more demoralized by the American media and the dimRats in DC than any other one thing.

As my grandson, Airborne Task Force, Afghanistan, says = the enemy at home is harder to take than the one that shooting at them every day.

They know why they are there, they believe in their mission, they’re going through hell to accomplish it = and are doing really good work helping these people out of the middle ages that the taliban (don’t deserve a capitol T) bombed them back into. But the media isn’t reporting it.See my post # 14 to see how we can help...

[LucyJo]

Absolutely, Maj. Gen. Lynch!

Remember the outpouring of patriotism from around the country and the world when we saw the unfiltered, unedited, events of 9/11/01 unfold before our eyes? Remember the unified,unequivocal, support and outpouring of love for the heroes who risked their lives and died to help their fellow man? Remember the support for our military to take care of business?

There are countless inspiring, and heroic, stories in the midst of this war that would invoke those same feelings of unity,patriotism, and support, if the people could see them in the same unfiltered, and unedited, way that we saw 9/11.

Consider the sources, and the means of division. There is more than one front in this war, and this one is on the home front.

[Andy from Beaverton]

He did! “But you never see that by watching Fox, CNN and NBC,” he said.

http://savannahnow.com/node/363075

[IrishMike]

If the American people are informed properly,” Lynch told reporters after he arrived home on leave, “I believe they will be supportive of the mission. But they’re not getting the right story. As a result, they’re anti the war.”
.........................................................

Yes General that is correct, and the $10 question...WHY ?
The dRATS need failure and are vested in failure.
The mainstream is the mouth piece of the DNC.

Used to be no news is good news, that’s all changed now.
Good News is Now ... NO NEWS.

[LM_Guy]

I agree the MSM has painted this war badly, and this primary cause of why about 70% + Americans what us out of Iraq soon.

[coffee260]

Here's my email to E&P:

Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch was absolutely right when he said it's the media's fault American's have become anti-war. And this article proves his point. Keep reading.

 

After reading this article called, A Top U.S. General in Iraq Blames Public's Antiwar Views on the Media, I do what I always do after reading from a publication not known for it's divulgence of all the facts and for it's objectivity. I went straight to the source. The Savannah Morning News.

 

Low and behold! There it was! Just as I suspected. The whole story, good news and bad. Not "several alleged signs of progress" as this paper wrote. But a list of real progress that for some reason E&P decided wasn't news worthy. Proving the Generals point. Talk about ironic. I wonder if E&P's editorial staff even caught that?

 

That's one example of why only 13% of American's believe journalism is a respectable profession. Go figure.

 

Anyways, here's what Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch did say and what I think your readers should have found out about the real progress.

 

"Enemy attacks and U.S. casualties in the 3rd ID's West Virginia-sized battle zone south of Bagdad are "way down."

 

"More than 2,000 enemy have been killed or captured there in the past six months."

 

"The enemy has lost "sanctuaries" where it makes bombs, stores munitions, trains suicide bombers and plans attacks."

 

If that isn't progress I don't know what is.

 

Also, note that using the word "alleged" as was done in this story, is a weasel way of calling the General's credibility into question. I'm not surprised. Then again I wonder if E&P considers this good news.

I urge you to read and compare the two. Talk about Irony.

The whole version: Lynch: Public will support the war if it is properly informed, but isn't now 

The E&P's version: A Top U.S. General in Iraq Blames Public's Antiwar Views on the Media

[what's up]

The commie media has been lying about stuff for decades...this war is just another item.

However, the Cold War is over now and their commie tactics are being exposed by alternative media. That's why the NYT circulation is falling so fast.

[driftless2]

Asking our media to report events honestly is like asking your dog to recite Shakespeare. And I think you’d have a better chance with your dog reciting a few sonnets from the Immortal Bard.

[LucyJo]

Excellent post, coffee.

[coffee260]

Thank you.