Now that I'm in Iraq

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Siddhartha

Siddhartha

Lifer
Oct 17, 1999
12,505
3
81
Originally posted by: datalink7
I realize how nobody is getting a clear picture from the media. I read arguments in P&N and some seem quite silly :p

Not saying anything about how good or bad the situation is... just that coloring your opinion via what the media is saying isn't leading you to the truth.

-1LT Phillips
Somewhere in Baghdad
Click to expand...

Thank you for serving oiur country!
 
T

Tobolo

Diamond Member
Aug 17, 2005
3,697
0
0
Thats what I had mostly figured. Thanks for serving, I greatly appreciate it.
 
S

SVT Cobra

Lifer
Mar 29, 2005
13,264
2
0
Well, you just got there...I'd wait a bit to make your decision good or bad for a while.

Anyway thanks for serving our country!
 
Whoozyerdaddy

Whoozyerdaddy

Lifer
Jun 27, 2005
19,216
1
61
Originally posted by: SVT Cobra
Well, you just got there...I'd wait a bit to make your decision good or bad for a while.

Anyway thanks for serving our country!
Click to expand...

QFT... And if you want, I'd take this to P&N... talk to some of the folks over there about what you're seeing. There are a couple of guys there that have either been to Iraq or are in Iraq now. You could compare notes.
 
J

jagec

Lifer
Apr 30, 2004
24,442
6
81
Originally posted by: datalink7
I realize how nobody is getting a clear picture from the media. I read arguments in P&N and some seem quite silly :p
Click to expand...

Yup, that's pretty much what I've gathered too.
The media really sucks, I wouldn't trust them to cover a kindergarten finger-painting contest, much less a complex situation like Iraq. Unfortunately, we don't have many good sources of information...
 
W

whistleclient

Platinum Member
Apr 22, 2001
2,700
1
71
Originally posted by: datalink7
I realize how nobody is getting a clear picture from the media. I read arguments in P&N and some seem quite silly :p

Not saying anything about how good or bad the situation is... just that coloring your opinion via what the media is saying isn't leading you to the truth.

-1LT Phillips
Somewhere in Baghdad
Click to expand...

I greatly appreciate your service to our country.

Could you clarify your statement? I would certainly like to hear your experience.

Here's what I've heard from colleagues in the media: there are very few reporters left embedded with the military. This is, in part, due to the military denying their embed requests because resources can't be set aside for the reporters' security.

It's also due to the public tiring of Iraq stories. [I'm not talking about support or lack of support for the war, I'm talking about the public persistently craving something new-- the tv show Lost was hot, now it's Heroes, next season it will be something else. Like it or not, the news world is treated increasingly like a form of entertainment. ]

Anyway-- it is, of course, very dangerous to travel in Iraq without some sort of security, so being a non-embedded reporter is virtually impossible. So... the end result is we get the headlines-- car bombs, suicide bombers, etc. The stuff that's reported by Iraqi stringers and the new agencies pick up.

It may very well be going well in certain areas, schools being built, soccer games being played, etc... but reporters can't get through the bad areas to report those stories. Not from some kind of agenda-- as some claim-- but just by circumstances.

Has this been your experience? Have you had any contact with media while there?

I'm genuinely curious about your experience and I hope you remain safe.

Thanks again for your service.
 
Queasy

Queasy

Moderator<br>Console Gaming
Aug 24, 2001
31,796
2
0
Originally posted by: pontifex
Originally posted by: datalink7
I realize how nobody is getting a clear picture from the media. I read arguments in P&N and some seem quite silly :p

Not saying anything about how good or bad the situation is... just that coloring your opinion via what the media is saying isn't leading you to the truth.

-1LT Phillips
Somewhere in Baghdad
Click to expand...

the media never presents a clear picture so thats nothign new but how else are people going to get any info? its not like there are many choices.
Click to expand...

I find the milblogs (military blogs) particularly informative. There's also a couple of Iraqi blogs (IraqTheModel.com) and independent reporters such as Michael Yon.
 
GTaudiophile

GTaudiophile

Lifer
Oct 24, 2000
29,767
33
81
I have heard the same from everyone I know over in the Sand Box!

I hope most people hear ignore P&N as it should be.

Good luck and God Bless over there! Stay safe!
 
J

Jawo

Diamond Member
Jun 15, 2005
4,125
0
0
Originally posted by: Queasy
Originally posted by: pontifex
Originally posted by: datalink7
I realize how nobody is getting a clear picture from the media. I read arguments in P&N and some seem quite silly :p

Not saying anything about how good or bad the situation is... just that coloring your opinion via what the media is saying isn't leading you to the truth.

-1LT Phillips
Somewhere in Baghdad
Click to expand...

the media never presents a clear picture so thats nothign new but how else are people going to get any info? its not like there are many choices.
Click to expand...

I find the milblogs (military blogs) particularly informative. There's also a couple of Iraqi blogs (IraqTheModel.com) and independent reporters such as Michael Yon.
Click to expand...

Yes the Milblogs are great, as well as the BBC...the US media only reports the deaths, they NEVER report the good things that are going on in Iraq. Didnt the DoD shut down a number of milblogs becuase they were "a threat to national security?" ie they painted an accurate picture, which is between the US news and the rosy DoD view?

 
Queasy

Queasy

Moderator<br>Console Gaming
Aug 24, 2001
31,796
2
0
Originally posted by: Jawo
Originally posted by: Queasy
Originally posted by: pontifex
Originally posted by: datalink7
I realize how nobody is getting a clear picture from the media. I read arguments in P&N and some seem quite silly :p

Not saying anything about how good or bad the situation is... just that coloring your opinion via what the media is saying isn't leading you to the truth.

-1LT Phillips
Somewhere in Baghdad
Click to expand...

the media never presents a clear picture so thats nothign new but how else are people going to get any info? its not like there are many choices.
Click to expand...

I find the milblogs (military blogs) particularly informative. There's also a couple of Iraqi blogs (IraqTheModel.com) and independent reporters such as Michael Yon.
Click to expand...

Yes the Milblogs are great, as well as the BBC...the US media only reports the deaths, they NEVER report the good things that are going on in Iraq. Didnt the DoD shut down a number of milblogs becuase they were "a threat to national security?" ie they painted an accurate picture, which is between the US news and the rosy DoD view?
Click to expand...

I don't recall any being shut down. I remember there being a kerfuffle over the DoD wanting to shut some down because they were worried they might be giving away operational details. Given how big a weapon the internet is for the insurgents and terrorists, this is a valid concern. However, since there are many milblogs still operating, I think something was worked out.

 
clamum

clamum

Lifer
Feb 13, 2003
26,256
406
126
Just remember there's a lot of people that do support you. Stay safe.
 
ElFenix

ElFenix

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Mar 20, 2000
102,402
8,574
126
anybody over there reading this, if you're ever in houston, gimme a ring and let me buy you a beer

:beer:
 
K

Kwaipie

Golden Member
Nov 30, 2005
1,326
0
0
Criminy, how bad can it be? They have the Intarweb. Everything is easier with pr0n.
 
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