Posted on 02/23/2008 7:43:10 AM PST by jdm
Richard Lardner wrote an article for the AP (source link WashPo) about a "study" that was done evaluating the problems with getting Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles to the Marines:
Study: Lack of MRAPs Cost Marine Lives
By RICHARD LARDNER
The Associated Press
Friday, February 15, 2008; 10:53 PM
WASHINGTON -- Hundreds of U.S. Marines have been killed or injured by roadside bombs in Iraq because Marine Corps bureaucrats refused an urgent request in 2005 from battlefield commanders for blast-resistant vehicles, an internal military study concludes.
The study, written by a civilian Marine Corps official and obtained by The Associated Press, accuses the service of "gross mismanagement" that delayed deliveries of the mine-resistant, ambush-protected trucks for more than two years...
The bottom-line is that Franz Gayl described several issues with communication and management around getting the Marines MRAPs quickly. But was it an official study? Was it an official fact finding mission or was it a paper designed to influence the decision-makers in the Marine Corps to change sourcing methods?
Gayl's opinion paper was not an official study according to the Marines. The USMC Deputy Director of Public Affairs, Colonel David Lapan, responds with an unprecedented letter to the President of the Associated Press to correctly attribute Gayl's comments:
It is a rare occurrence when a letter of this nature must be sent to the president of a news organization, but the gravity of this situation warrants nothing less...
...A story on Friday Feb. 15, by AP journalist Richard Lardner, "Vehicle Delay Blamed for Marines' Deaths," micharacterized the nature of a paper written by a civilian employee of the Marine Corps regarding the procurement of Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles. The fact is the paper contained the personal views and opinions of the employee and was clearly marked as such. The reporter knew this fact yet opted to bury that vital detail in a the 18th paragraph of his story, after mischaracterizing the paper as a Marine Corps study 10 times prior to referring to the author's disclaimer. Inaccurately implying the work was an official Marine Corps study, despite the facts, ensure the story received a lot of play and forced the Marine Corps to have to respond to numerous questions, from other news organizations, members of Congress and other groups, about the nature of the work and its conclusions.
A subsequent AP article, "Biden, Bond Seek Probe of Vehicle Delay," was posted Feb. 19, and included the following statement: "The Associated Press first reported Friday that hundreds of U.S. Marines have been killed or injured by roadside bombs in Iraq because Marine Corps officials refused the request of the commanders." This statement was presented as fact and not attributed to the author of the paper, as representing his personal views. It is an especially egregious statement without the proper attribution.
We are adamant about our obligation to protect the public record. Our efforts in addressing this matter with the writer and his editors have yielded nothing. I ask that you take appropriate action to correct the record and hold AP reporters and editors to the organization's stated high standards.
Note that no one disputes that Marines should have the best equipment possible. Some of you helped pay for Humvee armor (through Soldiers' Angels - THANK YOU ROBIN!) and know that the need for protection was there. That's not what this is about.
The fact appears to be that AP reporter Richard Lardner and his editors have deliberately misquoted an opinion as an official study, only to admit that the story is based on personal opinion 18 paragraphs later. This has multiple implications. We already know that the AP will bend the truth to serve their biases, sensationalize a story, and publish an insurgents photos as unbiased reporting.
Hopefully, this won't be another one of those cases and the AP will portray the situation accurately.
Click here to download Colonel Lapan's letter (.pdf format)
Update: The AP CEO, Tom Curley, responds to Colonel Lapan:
February 22, 2008
Col. D. A. Lapan
U.S. Marine Corps
Deputy Director of Public Affairs
Department of the Navy
3000 Marine Corps Pentagon
Washington, DC 20350-3000Dear Col. Lapan:
Thank you for your letter regarding the February 15 AP story by Richard Lardner on the procurement of MRAP vehicles.
I have reviewed the story and concluded that it is fair and accurate in its presentation of the facts.
The lead of the story is attributed to an “internal military study,” and the second graf says it was written by a “civilian Marine Corps official.” So the story from the start makes clear it was written by one individual. Lower, the story gives more information about the author – who wrote the study for his command – and notes: “The study’s cover page says the views in the study are his own.”
As soon as we were able to talk publicly about the report, based on the terms under which it was provided to us, the AP contacted the Marines for comment and included that in our story. We also included past Marine Corps’ defense against previous criticism of delays in getting MRAPs to the war zone.
As to the AP story on Monday, you are absolutely correct in pointing out that the 5th graf badly needed attribution. That was an editorial lapse, and we have taken it up with the editor involved.
Finally, I know that Sandy Johnson, our Washington bureau chief, has made clear to you that Mr. Lardner would be eager to interview the Marines for a follow-up if they have further information on the MRAP decisions.
Sincerely,
Thomas Curley
Study: Lack of MRAPs cost Marine lives
The fact appears to be that AP reporter Richard Lardner and his editors have deliberately misquoted an opinion as an official study, only to admit that the story is based on personal opinion 18 paragraphs later.
The AP is biased you say?
ping.
I am shocked that people on FR are shocked that AP would do this.
It’s funny, nobody here trusts AP yet when a story comes out it is lapped up as gospel.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1971266/posts?page=7#7
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1971266/posts?page=8#8
thomas curley’s response is rude and he should be slapped. who does this guy think he is?
A first-grade teacher, Ms. Brooks, was having trouble with one of her students. The teacher asked, “Harry, what’s your problem?”
Harry answered, “I’m too smart for the 1st grade. My sister is in the 3rd grade and I’m smarter than she is! I think I should be in the 3rd grade too!” Ms. Brooks had had enough.
She took Harry to the principal’s office.
While Harry waited in the outer office, the teacher explained to the principal what the situation was. The principal told Ms. Brooks he would give the boy a test. If he failed to answer any of his questions he was to go back to the 1st grade and behave. She agreed.
Harry was brought in and the conditions were explained to him and he agreed to take the test. Principal: “What is 3 x 3?”
Harry: “9.”
Principal: “ What is 6 x 6?”
Harry: “36.”
And so it went with every question the principal thought a 3rd grader should know.
The principal looks at Ms. Brooks and tells her, “I think Harry can go to the 3rd grade.”
Ms. Brooks says to the principal, “Let me ask him some questions.” The principal and Harry both agreed.
Ms. Brooks asks, “What does a cow have four of that I have only two of?”
Harry, after a moment: “Legs.”
Ms. Brooks: “What is in your pants that you have but I do not have?”
The principal wondered why would she ask such a question!
Harry replied: “Pockets.”
Ms. Brooks: “What does a dog do that a man steps in to?”
Harry: “Pants.”
Ms. Brooks: What starts with a C, ends with a T, is hairy, oval, delicious?
Harry: “Coconut.”
The principal sat forward with his mouth hanging open.
Ms. Brooks: “What goes in hard and pink then comes out soft and sticky?” The principal’s eyes opened really wide and before he could stop the answer,
Harry replied, “Bubble gum.”
Ms. Brooks: “What does a man do standing up, a woman does sitting down and a dog does on three legs?”
Harry: “Shake hands.”
The principal was trembling.
Ms. Brooks: “What word starts with an ‘F’ and ends in ‘K’ that means a lot of heat and excitement?”
Harry: “Firetruck.”
The principal breathed a sigh of relief and told the teacher, “Put Harry in the fifth-grade, I got the last seven questions wrong......
Funny isn’t the word I’d use.
I was assured, just two days ago, by a FReeper, that the AP has NEVER been proven to make a false statement.
Of course, it was in reference to a FRed Thompson statement that the AP cited, but has yet to prove. That makes it ok, right?
Thank you for the ping, jdm. I don’t have my ping list handy, Race, but need to note that the REAL story here isn’t the AP sliming the Corps (YET AGAIN), with regard to the MRAP and real reasons behind procurement issues (perhaps they just didn’t feel the need to line john murtha’s pockets with a cumbersome vehicle).
The REAL story here is the USMC launching a counter attack on the AP for misrepresentation of the freakin facts on the freakin MRAP while freakin Marines under their freakin wing and their freakin families are freakin tortured by the freakin media and the freakin NCIS.
LOL!
Defending the Incredible Hulk MRAP for murtha.
Who’s DEFENDING OUR MARINES ping?
One $50 Savings (I mean Bail) Bond will be awarded to the person with the correct answer.
/sarc
The AP is a joke.
And the correct answer is...
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1971266/posts?page=28#28 and post #29 below it! :)
I'll take my reward in pork BBQ!
At diverse times you do have a rather eloquent way with words.
freakin A
Freakin A, I’ll need to fire up the cooker again!
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