Posted on 08/08/2008 9:23:30 PM PDT by DJ Elliott
First person: Embedded with Iraqi army, where saluting is optional
(Excerpt) Read more at mcclatchydc.com ...
This story has only one purpose. It illustrates the total incompetance of the reporter and editors at McClatchy for the job of reporting on the military. It is a fluff piece that never explains the headline or the reason for no saluting in the field.
There are only two reasons for troops in the field to salute. They are too green to know better or they want a sniper to kill that officer. Saluting in the field is prohibited. It only serves to identify the key personnel for enemy snipers. How much money was wasted to field this reporter or for the editor? Both of witch are too ignorant of the subject that this story was published?
Making such a comparison to the actions of garrison troops in a Forward Operating Base and troops in the field, without that explanation, illustrates the incompetance of the reporter and the editors that published the story. Like the CNN reporter that thought he was embedded with the 7th Cavalry Division in 2003, it serves to immediatly discredit the reporter and the news agency. The reporter in 2003 was embedded with the 3rd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized). For two days he could not get the unit he was with right. If the reporters and their editors cannot get the basics right, how can they be competant or credible in any of their reporting.
Yet, these "professional journalists" and their editors wonder why their credibility is consistently under 25 percent. Milblogs at least know the subject.
I have to sort through too much chaff like this to research the ISF. Occasionally, they mention something that matters...
I know enough to know that saluting is a big NO-NO. Some people do not seem to think about what they write or try to give an impression that something is wrong when it isn’t.
Seems like a simple solution. Everyone start saluting journalists in the field.
lmao. Tempting.
One problem.
The US millitary defines us bloggers as journalists.
Being lumped in with these id10ts is the down side to writing for The Long War Journal...
Okay, just start saluting the *stupid* or hostile journos, then.
LOL...Sniper check.
Throughout the entire war, the reporters have displayed nothing but incompetence and an ability to twist and distort reality to the point of fiction in order to suit the media's nasty agenda.
As peace descends upon Iraq, they're still doing it, in hopes of ramping things up again.
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