LA Times Goes Dumpster Diving: Redux Vietnam
I guess the LAT’s hasn’t found enough to smear the Military with Iraq and Afghanistan. They’ve now gone dumpster hunting to dredge up new stories of horror from the Vietnam War. I’m sure if this gains any legs (which I doubt it will), there will be enough Veterans who will disprove the charges and anecdotal reports. But at what cost? The dominent media has already thoroughly slimed the Swift Boat Vets regardless of their truthtelling.
Maybe it’s because of John Murtha who is feeling the retribution of being judge and jury against the Marines of the Haditha charges. The LAT’s feels the need to discredit any Veteran who disagrees with the John Kerry or John Murtha anti-war rhetoric.
Atrocities against civilians and prisoners by Army soldiers during the Vietnam War were more common than originally disclosed to the public, according to a Los Angeles Times review of recently unsealed government files.
Some 9,000 pages of records - the largest collection of documented war crimes in Vietnam - include sworn witness testimony, investigative files and status reports for top military brass that detail 320 wartime atrocities substantiated by the Army.
Still, few soldiers were held accountable for the war crimes, according to the newspaper’s findings which appeared in Sunday’s edition.
For the LAT’s I guess it’s always easiest to go back to what works. Smearing Vietnam Veterans was the easiest mark they’ve ever had. But I think those days are over for the dominent media.
WRAL.com - News - Report: U.S. Atrocities In Vietnam Worse Than Thought
Sounds like they need to find new/renew ideas to smear our troops and president with.
Comment by Patty — August 8, 2006 @ 2:39 pm
You are so whacked out. Moronic. What do you propose? That they do not report this news? Why do you have a problem with reality? America is sick and tired of your 3rd rate partisan nonsense.
Comment by bearcat — August 8, 2006 @ 10:32 pm
Oh Bearcat…did I bruise your widdle Minnesota liberal sensitivities. I see from your IP you’re from MN, you are probably one of those people who’s still driving around with a bumpersticker that says “What would Wellstone Do?”. You think I’m moronic? Well, I think you’re deranged. You probably call yourself ‘A Progressive’ cause you’re afraid to admit your true calling….Socialist or hmmm maybe even Communist. I know your type to a tee. Self rightous and close minded to anything but the leftwing mindset. That’s ok, I approved your comment anyway. You didn’t use any profanity so I’m open minded enough to let leftwingers comment on MY blog.
Comment by Toni — August 8, 2006 @ 10:41 pm
Hey, Bearcat–
Nice of you to just whip out the “moronic” charge on the spur of the moment. People who are quick to label others, well…And here I thought it was the right that is mean and closed-minded. Oh, and nice to post anonymously to boot.
The US military isn’t perfect. We’ll always have My Lai. But that was an isolated incident. Things like that just don’t happen in today’s command and control environment and have been pretty rare throughout history. The’ve already debunked the Korean charge that came up a few years ago. The average American soldier just isn’t like that. I know first hand(something you can’t claim) that US soldiers have shown remarkable constraint in the assymetrical (do you need me to explain that word to you?) conflicts that have ocurred since Korea. In fact, it’s an oft-exploited characteristic of US GIs that they will go out of their way for children and starving familes during time of conflict. Unfortunatly our cynical enemies have often taken advantage of that characteristic. How do you feel about enemies who take advantage of our impulse to help children in order to ambush us and don’t care about the children who get caught in the ambush?
I’ll bet you also believe that white phosphorous can actually burn flesh, but not clothing, too.
Oh, and drop me a line if you see any film clips of US troops sawing peoples’ heads off with pocket knives.
Comment by snakeeater — August 10, 2006 @ 9:53 pm