Jessica Lynch

[Cerek the Barbaric]

An interesting article, Rokenn. It certainly seems to support the original article in the post - except for Jessica having amnesia.

Oh well, the ONLY way we will ever know the real truth is if and when Jessica Lynch provides it herself. I have to admit the "excuse" given for her not talking sounds suspicious to say the least...unless it is her choice not to talk at this time. She is certainly sufficiently recovered from her injuries to answer any questions or give her version of what really happened.

If we are never allowed to hear Jessica's version of her ordeal, then that will appear as if the gov't is simply trying to cover up the truth rather than owning up to it.

To be continued.........{obviously}

[Davros]

Interesting article Rokken - it certainly gives some independant support to the BBC assertions. You are right Cerek, the "Sequestering of Private Ryan" casts a pall of suspicion on the whole affair.

We have a military enquiry into a ship fire that cost lives back here in Australia where superior officers appear to have been counseling subordinates to lie for the good of the force and the ship. No matter where you are in the world, I would expect most militaries to want to close ranks on affairs that potentially harm their reputation, and be much more open in affairs that cast untrue slurs.

As Cerek said - to be continued (obviously)

As you say Davros, the services will try to close ranks and put a good light on themselves. It will be intersting but Im betting at some point when she is no longer in the Military some publisher will offer her a metric f&*k load of cash to write up her story (credit TL for the measure of cash) I think the truth..or at least her version of it will eventually come out.

[wellard]

Originally posted by MagiK: As you say Davros, the services will try to close ranks and put a good light on themselves. It will be intersting but Im betting at some point when she is no longer in the Military some publisher will offer her a metric f&*k load of cash to write up her story (credit TL for the measure of cash) I think the truth..or at least her version of it will eventually come out.

And don't forget the film

BTW lets keep it clear, this in no way reflects on pvte Lynch. She is doing what any good foot soldier does, and obeys orders. and I'm sure she deserves and gets our thanks for putting her life on the line for us all.

[Iron_Ranger]

Maybe I havent been following the Rescue of Lynch closley enough, but dont ever recall hearing anything along the line of-

'Utterly brave and almost sub human US Speical forces fight through odles and gobs of Iraqi soliders in a daring and very dangerous resue mission where they had to dispose bombs, fights tanks, air planes and helicopters and then do an ultra dangerous raid on the hostpital!'

All I ever heard about it was they found out she was in a hospital, and went and got here, and I dont ever remember seeing any thing too intence on that video either.

But like I said, maybe I am not following it close enough.

[Davros]

Originally posted by Iron_Ranger: But like I said, maybe I am not following it close enough.

I think you have hit the nail on the head [img]smile.gif[/img] - or maybe you lost all electricity that week and missed all the Hooohaaaa

[Attalus]

This is CNN's interview with the BBC reporter. He seems to me to be backing off some of the key contentions.

[Davros]

Originally posted by Attalus: This is CNN's interview with the BBC reporter. He seems to me to be backing off some of the key contentions.

And which key contentions would that be precisely Attalus (the ones that you think he is backing off of?).

I read that interview and get the same story as the first two articles. I see the BBC reporter holding to his line and explaining his info (or in his pursuit of officioldon, his lack of info), and the CNN reporter saying that maybe it won't be seen as such a drama over "his side of the pond" if it is proven that the public were duped.

To be continued (obviously).

[Donut]

Originally posted by Davros: And which key contentions would that be precisely Attalus (the ones that you think he is backing off of?). I read that interview and get the same story as the first two articles. I see the BBC reporter holding to his line and explaining his info (or in his pursuit of officioldon, his lack of info), and the CNN reporter saying that maybe it won't be seen as such a drama over "his side of the pond" if it is proven that the public were duped. To be continued (obviously).

I have to agree with Davros - I don't see any backing off.

UGH! Drednoks City!

[ 05-21-2003, 07:09 AM: Message edited by: Donut ]

[Cerek the Barbaric]

Originally posted by Donut: I have to agree with Davros - I don't see any backing off.

I didn't see any "backing off" from the reporter....but I did see it from the doctor in the original story. At first, he described the raid as something from a Hollywood movie....but later in the story he admitted that there was no way for the Americans to know Jessica Lynch was in the ambulance when they shot at it. The doctor also said he did not believe the soldiers conducted the rescue in the manner they did just for propaganda purposes. He believed that the information regarding Jessica Lynch and her condition (as well as the fact that the Fedayeen had already left) had NOT been communicated to the troops involved.

Let's look at some key points of this story from the soldier's perspective

First - shooting at the ambulance when doctors tried to deliver Jessica the first time. The BBC story implies that this was an irresponsible and over-the-top example of "shoot first and ask questions later". But keep in mind that two car bombs (I think) had already been detonated at checkpoints by this time....and from a soldier's perspective, an ambulance could carry a very BIG bomb.

As for the raid itself, the doctor said it was unnecessary because they had informed the troops that the Fedayeen were already gone. That may be true...of course, other Iraqi's had approached the soldier's in an apparant attempt to surrender...then attacked the soldiers or set off "suicide bombs" as soon as the soldier's got close enough. So an Iraqi doctor comes up to the troops and says "Hey guys, we've got your missing comrade in that hospital over there and it's perfectly safe to come on over. I know it was a Fedayeen command post, but they've all left..it's perfectly safe now."

What are the soldiers supposed to do? Say "Gee thanks...OK guys, we can leave our guns and ammo here. Let's just walk on over to this former enemy stronghold and pick Jessica up."

Finally, as for the amount of firepower used....no doubt it was excessive given the circumstances...but again...the troops on the ground could NOT be certain what the circumstances were. So they're best chance for survival AND a successful retrieval is to create a diversion to draw any enemy fire (that's what the choppers were for) and to go in with overwhelming firepower to eliminate any opposition they meet as quickly as possible. For all they knew, the entire scenario could have been a trap.

Of course, that doesn't absolve "Central Command" of their apparant guilt in not communicating the relevant information to the troops involved...and the raid may very well have been set up by THEM as a propaganda tool. But in either case, the blame does NOT lie with the troops conducting the raid itself. They acted in an appropriate manner for entering an enemy stronghold during a time of war.