Preacherman
April 11, 2003, 12:04 AM
Bill O'Reilly published this in his column in the New York Daily News on April 7 (see http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ideas_opinions/story/73270p-67804c.html). An extract is given below:
A few days ago, I was handed an E-mail from the Iraqi front. It came from a U.S. Army colonel in the 3rd Infantry Division. He is deeply angered over much of the reporting he is seeing in the American media. I have to protect his identity because the Pentagon does not like its officers going off the reservation and providing journalists like me with this kind of perspective. The following is what his E-mail said:
"The 3rd is making history here. In the past 48 hours, we have destroyed two [Iraqi] divisions, and six other divisions decided not to fight or have formally capitulated. Of course, this is never reported in the news. I do daily air recon in a Black Hawk escorted by Apaches, and we have probably killed close to 10,000 [Iraqi soldiers]. We are continuously sniped at and receive periodic mortar fire. Bottom line, they shoot - they die. Every American soldier is getting a chance to engage and kill the enemy.
"Iraq has these maniacs, death squad guys called Saddam Fedayeen, DGS forces, IIS and Baath Party forces that we spend most of our day killing. They continuously make suicidal charges at our tanks, Brads [Bradley fighting vehicles] and checkpoints. We are happy to send them to hell.
"You would not believe the carnage. Imagine body parts about knee deep, with hundreds of [Iraqi] vehicles burning, occupants inside. We fill up trucks with body parts daily. The plan is going exactly as scripted. The news is full of s---. We have almost total control. Don't know how much longer the division can keep up this pace, but we are prepared to do it."
Compare that account with what you are reading in the papers and hearing on the television news. Does it compute? If it doesn't, then your news outlet may not be doing its job.
The E-mail I quoted is genuine in every way. It was not solicited, it was not hyped. It is an eyewitness report from an American field commander who wants you to know what your military is experiencing.
And now you do.
I'm surprised we haven't seen much footage of this, but I guess the news media don't want to be accused of war-mongering by showing it... either that, or the Pentagon is trying to maintain a "clean war" image.
A few days ago, I was handed an E-mail from the Iraqi front. It came from a U.S. Army colonel in the 3rd Infantry Division. He is deeply angered over much of the reporting he is seeing in the American media. I have to protect his identity because the Pentagon does not like its officers going off the reservation and providing journalists like me with this kind of perspective. The following is what his E-mail said:
"The 3rd is making history here. In the past 48 hours, we have destroyed two [Iraqi] divisions, and six other divisions decided not to fight or have formally capitulated. Of course, this is never reported in the news. I do daily air recon in a Black Hawk escorted by Apaches, and we have probably killed close to 10,000 [Iraqi soldiers]. We are continuously sniped at and receive periodic mortar fire. Bottom line, they shoot - they die. Every American soldier is getting a chance to engage and kill the enemy.
"Iraq has these maniacs, death squad guys called Saddam Fedayeen, DGS forces, IIS and Baath Party forces that we spend most of our day killing. They continuously make suicidal charges at our tanks, Brads [Bradley fighting vehicles] and checkpoints. We are happy to send them to hell.
"You would not believe the carnage. Imagine body parts about knee deep, with hundreds of [Iraqi] vehicles burning, occupants inside. We fill up trucks with body parts daily. The plan is going exactly as scripted. The news is full of s---. We have almost total control. Don't know how much longer the division can keep up this pace, but we are prepared to do it."
Compare that account with what you are reading in the papers and hearing on the television news. Does it compute? If it doesn't, then your news outlet may not be doing its job.
The E-mail I quoted is genuine in every way. It was not solicited, it was not hyped. It is an eyewitness report from an American field commander who wants you to know what your military is experiencing.
And now you do.
I'm surprised we haven't seen much footage of this, but I guess the news media don't want to be accused of war-mongering by showing it... either that, or the Pentagon is trying to maintain a "clean war" image.