Posted on 04/24/2007 11:46:49 PM PDT by Star Traveler
US Soldier hailed for bravery in Iraq says Pentagon spin doctors made it all up
By DAVID GARDNER
The American military has been accused of telling lies about two of its most famous soldiers.
Official versions of the rescue of prisoner of war Jessica Lynch and the death of former US football star Pat Tillman turned both into national heroes.
But the propaganda was dismissed as "utter fiction" at a Capitol Hill hearing to expose the false battlefield stories peddled by the Pentagon.
Jessica Lynch, now 23, said she was giving testimony "to set the record straight".
"I'm no hero, the people who served with me who died are the real heroes," she said. "The truth of war is not always easy. The truth is always more heroic than the hype."
She said the stories of derring-do did not apply to her.
The former army private became a celebrity after being taken prisoner as the first wave of U.S. troops invaded Iraq in March 2003.
Military chiefs hailed her a gritty heroine who was only captured after putting up fierce resistance during a gunfight during which she was shot and stabbed.
She was eventually freed in a US raid on a hospital where she was being held captive, the Pentagon said.
But it later emerged that her gun was jammed with sand so she couldn't use it and she was only injured when her vehicle crashed.
There were no Iraqi troops at the Saddam Hussein General Hospital when the Americans carried out their "rescue" and medical staff had unsuccessfully tried to hand over the wounded private to US forces prior to the raid.
Although an authorised book about her ordeal claimed she was raped by enemy soldiers, Iraqi doctors have disputed the allegations and Miss Lynch says she was too traumatised to remember it.
"My parents were hearing the story that I was this little girl Rambo from the hills of West Virginia who went down fighting. But it wasn't true.
"The bottom line is the American people are capable of determining their own ideals of heroes and they don't need to be told elaborate tales.
"Why did they lie when the real heroes were my fellow soldiers who rescued others or fought to the death?"
She told Congress she had a sixinch gash in her head and severe back and leg problems from injuries suffered during the battle that killed 11 US troops.
Her testimony began with a recollection of the March 2003 attack. As she and her fellow soldiers drove through Nassiriya, Iraq, they noticed armed men standing on rooftops. Three soldiers were quickly killed when a rocket-propelled-grenade hit their vehicle.
Another eight died in the ensuing fighting. Miss Lynch said she later woke up in hospital. "When I awoke, I did not know where I was. I could not move. I could not call for help. I could not fight," she said.
"The nurses at the hospital tried to soothe me, and they even tried unsuccessfully at one point to return me to Americans."
On April 1, US troops came for her. "A soldier came into the room. He tore the American flag from his uniform, and he handed it to me in my hand and he told me, 'We're American soldiers, and we're here to take you home'. And I looked at him and I said, 'Yes, I'm an American soldier, too'."
"I had the good fortune to come home and to tell the truth. Many soldiers, like Pat Tillman, did not have that opportunity," she added.
"I'm still confused as to why they chose to lie and try to make me a legend when the real heroes were my fellow soldiers that day."
Pat Tillman, 27, became a national hero after he gave up a lucrative contract with the National Football League's Arizona Cardinals to join the US Army and was killed during an ambush in an Afghan mountain pass three years ago.
Tillman, a member of the army's elite Rangers force, was awarded the Silver Star, the military's thirdhighest combat decoration, after the Pentagon said he was killed leading a counter-attack.
The story was revealed as bogus after pressure from Tillman's family. In reality he died as a result of friendly fire.
His brother Kevin - who also joined up in the wake of the 9/11 attacks and was in a convoy behind his brother - rejected army claims that the confusion arose because of the fog of war.
He said the Pentagon version was "utter fiction" and charged the military with "intentional falsehoods that meet the legal definition for fraud".
"We believe this narrative was intended to deceive the family but more importantly the American public," he added.
The committee's Democrat chairman Henry Waxman said: "The bare minimum we owe our soldiers and their families is the truth. That didn't happen for two of the most famous soldiers in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars."
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24/04/07 - News section
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Find this story at http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=450509&in_page_id=1770 ©2007 Associated New Media
Thanks for the link!
You said — “I don’t see how Lynch is saying anything that is at odds with the Pentagon... everybody’s pretty much on the same page, seems to me.”
I would like to see Jessica Lynch’s full statement to the committee and see what she is saying. You see.., if everyone is “on the same page”, I have no idea why she sees it necessary to “set the record straight”.
If it’s simply a “press thing”, then just give a press conference and answer questions and make the statement. But, since she’s going to the “government” itself (through a committe hearing) this is what one does to argue against one’s own government (either positively or negatively, depending on the topic at hand).
And so, “press conference” for the press — committee hearings regarding problems with the government. That’s how I see her doing it...
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You said — “I haven’t seen where we, or Tillman’s parents, were told some different Army-fabricated narrative before the facts were known. The media might have embellished things a little bit, but none of that came from the Army.”
If that’s so, all it takes is a simple explanation and statement from Tillmans’ parents and that would be it. I would also like to hear from them, in an *unfiltered way* — their complete understanding *and* statement about this whole thing. That is another thing that needs to be secured...
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And lastly — “If you want to point fingers at people coloring the story to fit their own plot outline, look to the media. They had these red-meat stories that they really wanted to tell. So they told them before they really knew anything.”
Now, if this is the case, that it’s simply the press which is not taking accurate information from the military (i.e., what the military supplied to them as accurate) — and the press was building something out of nothing, then it would be easy to prove such a thing. You would go to official statements and say, “See here... and there.. and there...” And that would be it. Next you would point to a “press account” and say, “See here, and there, and there...” and point out that these were false. And that would clear it up.
And if that was the case, Tillman’s parents would go to the press and say (in a press conference) — “You guys have got it all wrong, and we would like to set things straight. Here’s what the Pentagon has said all along, and we want you to get these facts that have been given to you.”
That would be one press conference. The other one would be Jessica Lynch. She would have a press conference and say, “You have been printing wrong information and wrong implications and I would like to present you with what the Pentagon has supplied you from the beginning. Here is what they have told you, and it matches what I have told you — so you all need to correct this in your news reports.”
But, it seems, instead — that Jessica Lynch goes to a committe hearing. Well, people don’t go to committe hearings to address the press. You do that in interviews and press conferences. You go to committe hearings to *address the government*. It seems that Jessica Lynch is not addressing the press and wrong stories that they’ve originated, it seems that she is addressing her government...
You said — “So, when is she going to give back the Bronze Star she was awarded?”
I guess she’ll do it when she gets the Pentagon statement that it fabricated the story. Quid pro quo...
She’s waiting....
I said to you previously — “This was Jim’s one word response to him...”
I was wrong..., it was a three-word response... “Up yours asswipe.”
From —
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1821435/replies?c=50
Just thought I needed to correct that...
Uh... neither. They're going to committee hearings because they've been subpoena'd by Henry Waxman, so that he can craft some headlines for his political benefit during a tense standoff with the President over funding the war.
You thought that they went before congress because it was *their* idea? C'mon...
I recall both incidents vividly. I was paying attention. I don't need to research what was done and said at the time. If you have information to the contrary, then post it.
You said — “You thought that they went before congress because it was *their* idea? C’mon...”
Yes, that’s exactly right. I happen to have read of lots of instances where people wanted to give testimony to present their views and their side of things. So that is very much so — the case.
But, what you’re saying here is that Jessica Lynch *had to* come, because she was subpoenaed. It appeared to me that she was willingly going and very much *wanted to go* — as she said “to set the record straight. That doesn’t sound very unwilling to me.
However, I would like to find out about Jessica Lynch’s subpoena. When was that given to her?
As for Pat Tillman, it was the fact that he left the NFL to fight for his country that makes him a hero in spite if the circumstances of his death.
If you dive into the freezing river to rescue a child but die while the child is pulled out of the water by a helicopter with a stokes basket you are still a hero.
Beats me.
It seems awfully important to you that Waxman get his partisan points out. How come?
You said — “I never imagined that anyone could think Jessica Lynch was a hero.”
Yeah, it was sort of hokey. I think it was all related to the fact that she was a woman. And I think that the Pentagon decided to “make hay” out of it. To me..., I still think there are problems with women being at the fighting front in a war...
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And then — “As for Pat Tillman, it was the fact that he left the NFL to fight for his country that makes him a hero in spite if the circumstances of his death.”
I would agree with that. I mean, he did feel so committed to his country that he was willing to join. And that’s very commendable. And it was extremely unfortunate that he lost his life in this manner.
And it seems to be sort of how the Pentagon would want to handle it, to sort of slide it out of sight, as to how he died and just say he died in the line of duty. That makes the whole hero image hang on him much better. With a lot of people, they’ll think “What a waste” to die that way.
But, keeping in mind that he had that committment in the beginning to join, that’s something for people to “hang their hats on...”
This is perfectly correct and the right way to look at it.
The US military is still better than CBS as far as accuracy.
You said — “It seems awfully important to you that Waxman get his partisan points out. How come?”
I don’t care about him. I don’t even know who is on the committee. I’m more concerned and interested in the stories of Jessica Lynch (and the reasons why she want to “set the record straight”) and also the story about Tillman’s parents and what they think. Those are the ones that I’m interested in.
The rest of them, whomever they are — they’re just politicians. These others that I’m interested in..., they’re the people of this country and they need to be heard... I would like to find out more about them. I’ll try to do so.
The Story of Jessica Lynch What really happened in Nasiriyah. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1823194/posts
Just because Jessica got co-opted by the left, does not mean the Pentagon told the lies.
And if she “can’t remember” she should STFU.
As for Tillman, there is real question as to whether or not he and the guy that was killed with them were the ones that initiated the friendly fire that got them killed. And that that is the reason the commander on decided to report it as “enemy-fire”.
Is it better to remember Tillman as a hero who died at the hands of the enemy, or as someone who fired on his own troops in the dark of night and got killed by them. This sort of thing happens a lot in war, but most civilians, especially grieving parents rarely are able to understand it.
Commanders have, through most wars we've fought, told parents their children have died fighting heroicly against the enemy, even when they have not, especially where friendly fire is concerned.
Not because they want to cover anything up, but to spare the feelings of the loved ones. And in the days before "political correctness" and "anything to bash the military", that was a sleeping dog that was usually left alone.
Reporters who knew better kept their mouths shut, as did the soldiers.
I spent my time in uniform and my kid is on her second tour, in Iraq. Speaking philosophically, I would rather hear she lost her life killing the enemy that as the result of some blundr. As would any parent or reletive. And that is why things like this are done.
But in todays political climate it so much more convenient to ascribe evil motives to the chain of command, especially if it helps bolster your political views.
You said — “But in todays political climate it so much more convenient to ascribe evil motives to the chain of command, especially if it helps bolster your political views.”
In regards to the article, it was posted earlier and I looked at it. I’m going to go over it a few more times, though and really sort it out, in regards to what Jessica Lynch is saying and what Tillman’s parents are saying.
Now, in regards to that last statement of yours, it may be that certain people will *use information* to either bolster their side or hammer the other side. That’s true and I know this happens all the time. But, what I see happening (and this is *extremely unfortunate* and very bad) is that our side will willing to shade the truth or even *dismiss* the truth — if — it looks like that “truth” can be used to hammer us. And that’s just plain wrong.
The first thing that has to be done is get the truth out there. And I would advocate that for friendly fire or whatever. Maybe a soldier committed suicide out there (talking about a hypothetical) and someone decided that it was an enemy action and reported it that way, to “spare” the parents and relatives. Well, it’s an “easy way out” but it’s simply not the truth. I don’t think that should be done. It should be reported as it is.
And the same goes for this. No matter who is goig to hammer whom, the truth should be told...
Across that bullet-swept ground, a striped skirt fluttered. Mary Hays McCauly was earning her nickname "Molly Pitcher" by bringing pitcher after pitcher of cool spring water to the exhausted and thirsty men. She also tended to the wounded and once, heaving a crippled Continental soldier up on her strong young back, carried him out of reach of hard-charging Britishers. On her next trip with water, she found her artilleryman husband back with the guns again, replacing a casualty. While she watched, Hays fell wounded. The piece, its crew too depleted to serve it, was about to be withdrawn. Without hesitation, Molly stepped forward and took the rammer staff from her fallen husband’s hands. For the second time on an American battlefield, a woman manned a gun. (The first was Margaret Corbin during the defense of Fort Washington in 1776.) Resolutely, she stayed at her post in the face of heavy enemy fire, ably acting as a matross (gunner).
For her heroic role, General Washington himself issued her a warrant as a noncommissioned officer. Thereafter, she was widely hailed as "Sergeant Molly." A flagstaff and cannon stand at her gravesite at Carlisle, Pennsylvania. A sculpture on the battle monument commemorates her courageous deed.
I believe there is a place for women if they are raised to understand their patriotic duty and are tough enough. My own grandmother was born in Indian Territory Oklahoma and was as tough as "Sooners" had to be back then.
“I’m still confused as to why they chose to lie and try to make me a legend when the real heroes were my fellow soldiers that day.”
uhhhhh.........funding?
You said — “I believe there is a place for women if they are raised to understand their patriotic duty and are tough enough.”
Ummmm..., how come I have Paris Hilton as an image in my mind? It just won’t go away. It must be because of those “Girls Gone Wild” videos.... (are those “American girls”?)
And then — “My own grandmother was born in Indian Territory Oklahoma and was as tough as “Sooners” had to be back then.”
Ahhh..., my dad was born in Indian Territory, too, but slightly after Oklahoma became a state. I’m an Okie, too, from Tulsa. I’m headed up the ole Indian Nation Turnpike pretty soon, hopefully dodging those tornadoes as I go up... :-)
You said — “uhhhhh.........funding?”
Well, maybe. But, I hear that the Pentagon just awarded its largest contract in American history, which will eventually and utlimately do away with soldiers on the battlefield...
Yikes!
It may be a while off yet, before we get to the “Terminator”, but it’s headed that way. And, it’s the *largest contract* in American history. That says a lot...
Thanks for that , I did not for a moment truly believe you’d say that . It’s funny, and sad , too, that someone would move Jim to that .
Later.
I don’t have a problem with her telling what actually happened wayyyyy after the fact. But we were in the process of invading a country. Why would we say, “Well, we had this little blonde who was riding along with some soldiers, and she was hurt when the Humvee she was in crashed because her convoy had taken a wrong turn somewhere down the road. She had a gun, but she couldn’t make it work. And then she woke up in a hospital and was rescued by some men with guns that worked.”
She should just be happy that she made it out alive. She doesn’t need to gripe about the folks who made sure she got out alive.
Yup, there’s lots of people out there with an agenda.
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