There’s a public affairs officer in the Green Zone right now who’s having a very bad day. His crime?
Accurately reporting the statements made about the war in Iraq by congressmen visiting there:
The sheets of paper seemed to be everywhere the lawmakers went in the Green Zone, distributed to Iraqi officials, U.S. officials and uniformed military of no particular rank. So when Rep. James P. Moran Jr. (D-Va.) asked a soldier last weekend just what he was holding, the congressman was taken aback to find out.
In the soldier’s hand was a thumbnail biography, distributed before each of the congressmen’s meetings in Baghdad, which let meeting participants such as that soldier know where each of the lawmakers stands on the war. “Moran on Iraq policy,” read one section, going on to cite some the congressman’s most incendiary statements, such as, “This has been the worst foreign policy fiasco in American history.”
The bio of Rep. Ellen O. Tauscher (D-Calif.) — “TAU (rhymes with ‘now’)-sher,” the bio helpfully relates — was no less pointed, even if she once supported the war and has taken heat from liberal Bay Area constituents who remain wary of her position. “Our forces are caught in the middle of an escalating sectarian conflict in Iraq, with no end in sight,” the bio quotes.
“This is beyond parsing. This is being slimed in the Green Zone,” Tauscher said of her bio.
Well, you know: If the shoe fits, wear it.
Just don’t, you know: Tap it in the airport restroom.
Our fearless leaders on the hill never cease to amaze me. How can you be indignant about your own words? Don’t they mean what they say?
(NO)
I didnt think so either.
Any politician will tell you there’s nothing more chickens**t than using your own words against you. And don’t you realize that all the Democrats “support the troops?” They say that too, over and over.
Politicians will learn to hate and/or fear and/or respect Google heaven even more than job-seeking bloggers, if they have any sense.
Me? A few blogging ‘indescretions’ during the 2004 election cycle have probably made me unemployable on either coast, and certainly in academia.
Well no one likes to have their words thrown back in their faces – I guess these libtards should just thank their lucky stars it happened INSIDE the green zone and not outside it…cuz you never know, war is such a messy & unexpected business.
“What, you mean someone actually believed what I said? Actually thought that I meant it, too? How naive can you rubes be?”
That’s what was really running through the pea-sized brain he thinks he has.
Who’d a thunk his own words would come to bite him back — hard!
Serves them all right for trying to make brownie points off our troops when they could really care less about them.
(Sheesh — I really do need to go my corner. Sorry for the rantings today.)
The truth hurts, huh?
“…Just who assembled them is not clear. E-mails to U.S. Central Command’s public affairs office in Baghdad this week went unanswered…”
Providing info sheets on statements made by congresspersons is perfectly fine. Happens here all the time. But if you’re going to do it, at least take responsibility for it. Let’s see if someone does…
Cap’n,
Here’s what Rep. Moran’s Web Site has to say about this CODEL (Congressional Delagation)
We keep hearing from the White House that the surge is working, but every indication is that the political situation has failed to improve,” said Moran. “How can the surge be deemed successful if the Iraqi Parliament can’t bring about a political reconciliation between Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds? Without such reconciliation, our troops are not laying the groundwork for a lasting peace. Rather we are sacrificing American lives in order to delay an even bloodier civil war.”
Now, the Honorable Rep. Moran is clearly going in with a closed mind regarding positive news on Iraq. Why can’t the troops on the ground also have reasonable background information on him? ‘Know your enemy’ is very good advice from Sun Tsu.
Since the Surge is achieving military success, the Socialist-Democrat Party in Congress is simply changing the rules. Now success is tied to political stability, not military success. Why am I not suprised?
I am right now watching C-Span. They have a live video feed from Air America and their guest is Bernie Sanders… It is an amazing experience if one is able to remain calm…
Yeah, I read the story about distributing position papers to servicemen in the Green Zone. The “outrage” is interesting. How dare you warn the military in advance about what I have said, and read into the congressional record in the past? Yeah well, sorry pal, you delt it.
YOU HAVE TO BE KIDDING ME! Slimed? You say slimed by your own words?
Now I am listening to how the Army is going to be called out to thwart a protest in D.C. in Sept. So, when this doesn’t happen… will Air America and Bernie Sanders be surprised? Will they discuss that with their listeners? I think not.
You know, I wrote an essay a few years back about going to a counter protest in D.C. where a pregnant woman was shoved to the ground, how we were all threatened with death, signs I saw that had missles launching from female butts… It was a disgusting display.
The VERY NEXT DAY was the Marine Corps “people’s marathon”. I watched as hundreds of Marines organized a marathon around our Capitol and cheered and sometimes used some tough love to get the participants through. “Susan, you WILL MAKE IT UP THIS HILL. I am here with you and I will run with you and you will make it…” It brought tears to my eyes. Never mind standing just the D.C. side of the Arlington bridge, the last lap, and having a clearly injured woman come stand next to me. She had been running with a friend and twisted her ankle. Her husband, who had no intention of running, had to take her place. In Yuppie chinos and street shoes he ran past after a while. You see, they were guiding a blind Marine through the course because he really wanted to do this. I broke down and cried…
I could go on and on. It was a rather emotional weekend for me.
I’m not sure where these fellows got their talking points, but this is a nice example of push-polling at the front, via Curmudgeonly & Skeptical.
Information warfare…beautiful ain’t it?
It’s often better to keep your mouth shut and have people think you’re a fool than to open it and prove it. These two deserved what they got, and as far as I’m concerened it’s only a small amount of payback that was delivered. I hope those two choke on it.
The congresscritters were probably afraid they’d get fragged, because they believe the Hollywood propaganda about the military.