Local Newspaper manages to piss me off

[Cyre2067]

So i was parousing my local newspaper, the intelligencer, it's published right here in Dullestown PA, and I came across this article "I just survived a war." Now, i found this after reading about the GOPs candidate to oppose of recently elected democratic rep Patrick Murphy (who's an iraq vet). This guy, Tom Marion, is the father of a marine who was killed in Iraq, and obviously he's blinded by the same BS most americans are, thus making him the perfect candidate. What gets me, is that he has two articles dedicated to him and in both those articles he touts

With his wife, Janet, and his daughter, Ryan, at his side Tuesday, Manion said he wants to see the war end soon, but said he supported President Bush’s current war policy.

“I do want to end the war in Iraq as soon as possible,” Manion said. “No one is more committed to that goal than I because I want no other parent to go through what Janet and I have. But in doing this we must confront the threats that face our nation both for this and for future generations.”

Later he said that “it’s pretty evident that the surge is working and we need to see that through.”

So that grossed me out, and I commented thusly:

Sorry, but 'the surge is working' is straight doublespeak. It's not, eventhough BushCo keeps saying it is. This is evident by the increase in civilian deaths, you can read about it here.

Further, it's sad that people can't see this transparently illegal war for what it is. This isn't about 'Protecting America', it isn't about 'democracy' or 'liberating iraq' it's about profit and stealing trillions from the American public in order to enrich the richest.

Wake Up Doylestown.

The coup de gra was this article though, entitled, "I just survived a war"

'I just survived a war'

By CHRISTOPHER RUVO
The Intelligencer

Kevin Cianfrani fought a war and lived.

While many of his peers were heading to Friday night college parties, the 20-year-old from Sellersville was battling insurgents and terrorists on the streets and rooftops of Baghdad.

Cianfrani, a specialist in the Army, spoke to students at his alma mater, Pennridge High School in East Rockhill, on Tuesday about his 15 months in the combat zones of Iraq's capital city.

“I wanted to be different from my peers and give something back to my country,” said Cianfrani, who was motivated to join the military in part by his father, a retired lieutenant colonel.

Pennridge principal Thomas Creeden said Cianfrani had students' undivided attention. “It's an eye-opener for them. It really brings home the reality of what is happening (in Iraq).”

Not long after taking off his Pennridge graduation robes in 2005, Cianfrani became a paratrooper in the 1st Squadron of the 40th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade, 25th Infantry Division. The 4th Brigade is the newest airborne unit in the Army, having been formed in July 2005.

Being in the infantry, Cianfrani expected he'd be in the thick of the fighting in war-torn Iraq. He was right: Cianfrani was in his first firefight by age 19.

“We were seeing combat more or less every other day,” he said. “You wouldn't know unless you've been there. It's very chaotic, a very stressful situation — probably the hardest thing I ever had to do.”

Cianfrani's first combat experience came on a sweltering day in Baghdad. He was downstairs in a building with fellow soldiers when insurgents opened fire on them. Cianfrani and the soldiers rushed to the building's roof and returned fire in a battle that lasted about a half-hour.

The enemy taking pot shots at him and his comrades was basically routine, Cianfrani would learn.

“It was hard to know where it was going to come from,” he said. “How do you handle combat? You just react and return fire and do whatever you can to keep each other safe.”

Cianfrani said the first three or four months of battle in Baghdad had him on edge, but after a while “you start to lose the fear,” he said. “It's just everyday life.”

Part of that life included losing fellow soldiers. “Everybody lost somebody. We're a combat arm so it was expected,” he said.

Keith Cianfrani, Kevin's father, remembers waiting long, anxious days to hear from his son.

“I knew he would be in harm's way,” said Keith Cianfrani, who served in the Army for 25 years, mostly in the aviation field. “I was concerned every time I didn't hear from him for a few days. But then I'd get a text message or something. It was a big sigh of relief.”

Cianfrani said one of the most difficult things about being on a combat detail was that there was basically no down time.

“It's not like a 9 to 5 job. You always had to be ready to go,” he said.

Still, Cianfrani values the maturity and strength he gained from being a combat veteran. “You come back and realize what you did and that you did it successfully,” he said.

Cianfrani remembers other positive things about Iraq, too, such as interacting with local children, many of whom he said were glad to have the U.S. soldiers around. “We'd give them soccer balls or candy. The kids felt safe with us,” he said.

The 20-year-old traded desert heat for the arctic cold when he returned stateside to a base in Alaska on Nov. 10.

Reacclimating to American life was difficult at first. Cianfrani would grow uneasy around crowds of people in the mall, since avoiding confrontations with “mobs” obviously was important in Iraq. He would feel somewhat apprehensive when another car drove close to his.

“At first you're turning your head at every little pop. But then you got to say to yourself, "I'm safe. I'm OK here,' ” he said. “I don't have a problem with it now. After a little while I was back in the swing of things.”

Since returning to Bucks County in late December, Cianfrani has spent time helping the Sellersville Army recruiting station. He plans to talk at Temple University about his military experiences before heading back to Alaska on Jan. 24.

Cianfrani is pretty sure he will not see Iraq again. His service term concludes in the autumn. He plans to take his honorable discharge and focus on becoming a physical education teacher. Given what he has been through, that should be no problem at all.

“I don't regret any decisions about my military career,” he said. “It gives you a whole new outlook on life. No matter what comes up you say to yourself, "I just survived a war.' You don't sweat the small stuff.”

Christopher Ruvo can be reached at (215) 538-6371 or cruvo@phillyburbs.com.

And replied:

It's sounds so 'coming of age', so dramatic, almost like a sunday morning game of paintball. I think this is the most sunshine and lollipops description of the Iraq War I've heard thus far. And believe me, I've read a lot of soldiers accounts.

Linking this article at the end: _http://www.thenation.com/doc/20070730/hedges/2 which has 11 pages worth of soldier testimonials.

What kills me is this article, along with the GOPs Marine is such flagrant propaganda. I mean, bush's surge is working? What planet is this guy from? And yet he's getting press and coverage to annouce his bid for the House of Reps. Further, this account of one local soldier is a gross distortion of the facts on the ground. As demonstrated in The Nation, and here on SOTT this war is responsible for the deaths, rape, and poverty of millions of innocent iraqis. The touting of this one soldiers experience is so happy-go-lucky, so lollipops-and-sunshine that i want to vomit, profusely, all over the author's lap. Maybe show him a few pictures of the dead children I've seen, or some of the youtubes where US Soldiers blatantly enjoy firing at unarmed civilians.

I ripped him a brief email as follows:

I just read your article "I just survived a war" and I must say I'm confused, a little pissed off, and questioning your intent. As one commentator put it, that article is the 'most sunshine and lollipops' description of the conflict I've ever read. Do you have a clue what's going on in Iraq? Are you trying to recruit more young ment to rush off to the meat grinder? Honestly, I'd like to know. I'd also like to know where you got the idea for the article - was it assigned? If so I'd like the name of the editor and his email. I have a few choice words for him too.

First of all, as a journalist, your job is to report the facts. To give an honest account of an event. And while you can say you honestly represented that one soldier's point of view, and his experience, your denying the reality of the situation and presenting it in a false context. Its inheritently dishonest, and disrepectful to your readers. There's no mention of the house raids, no mention of the innocent civilians killed, or the lives ruined. There have been children, and young teenage girls, murdered and/or raped by US Soldiers, some infront of their family. There's a youtube here: http://www.sott.net/articles/show/147160-Why-They-Hate-US

that shows house raids. Maybe you could put some of those images on the front page, or post some other's soldiers points of view. I'm sick of the media manipulation in this country, and now it's showing up in my local newspaper. Don't you have a conscience?

Which maybe was a little 'strong-handed' but i figured someone had to say something.

Anyway, I apoligize if this is noise-esque I just had to get it off my chest.

 

[Redrock12]

Good for you Cyre. You gave the lie what it asked for: the TRUTH! You have nothing to apologize for.

 

[manitoban]

Hi Cyre,

Ugh that really does make me feel sick too, outright lies - ALL LIES . Maybe your comment will be seen though and some (few probably) will think just a little bit and realise what a load of bunk they're being fed.

 

[meat robot]

-

 

[GRiM]

Cyre- it made me think of _http://www.vfp-northcountry.org/b4enlist/images/marlboro_man.jpg and the image he represents, doing the 'good deed' for the country. In the context of reality, with all that you commented on about the articles its really disgusting. I keep thinking if the soldiers only knew what they are doing, have done.
Anyhow, great work!
It gave me the inspiration of doing the same to my local paper, even if there is a slightly (very slight) more objective ,or should I say balanced, view on war in local paper.


edit: _www(...)

 

[Novelis]

Cianfrani said the first three or four months of battle in Baghdad had him on edge, but after a while “you start to lose the fear,” he said. “It's just everyday life.”

Part of that life included losing fellow soldiers. “Everybody lost somebody. We're a combat arm so it was expected,” he said.

That's just sad, "getting used to it" like it's just a normal part of everyday life...

Keith Cianfrani, Kevin's father, remembers waiting long, anxious days to hear from his son.

“I knew he would be in harm's way,” said Keith Cianfrani, who served in the Army for 25 years, mostly in the aviation field. “I was concerned every time I didn't hear from him for a few days. But then I'd get a text message or something. It was a big sigh of relief.”

And despite all that grief, we should all "See it through" and bear it because "it's all in the name of the greater good" right Keith? Poor fool (If he actually feels anything). That's just the kind of propaganda Bushco loves to disseminate and spread.

Reacclimating to American life was difficult at first. Cianfrani would grow uneasy around crowds of people in the mall, since avoiding confrontations with “mobs” obviously was important in Iraq. He would feel somewhat apprehensive when another car drove close to his.

“At first you're turning your head at every little pop. But then you got to say to yourself, "I'm safe. I'm OK here,' ” he said. “I don't have a problem with it now. After a little while I was back in the swing of things.”

Yeah, isn't that just the kind of knee-jerk reactionism needed for when things turn chaotic on home soil, and "dissenters" or "enemy combatants" need to be rounded up or "neutralized"?

Are these troops in Iraq getting trained up to "handle" the situation in the same manner on US soil when the time comes? What a nightmare that'll be... I really hope it won't come to that.

Nice one Cyre!

 

[Cyre2067]

Seems I got one manipulative response to my comment about the surge already...

_http://www1.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/113-01152008-1471634.html comments at the bottom

anyway here's the response:

Cyre, you really drink the Kool Aid, don't you. The surge is working and yet it isn't on the news every day...unlike when the war was hampered by our lack of presence in the area. You heard every day how poorly the war was going back then. I guess it's less interesting to our media outlets when we are doing well, and the Iraqi government is lifting sanctions against the former Baathist leaders...as they had promised. Hmm...when things go as well for our military...it doesn't quite fit into your agenda does it, Cyre? Why is that?

and I replied:

My agenda is the truth, maybe it's something your unfamiliar with. If you read the link, you'll see EVIDENCE that the surge is not working. Further - our media does nothing more then parrot the administration, critical thought and asking tough questions has been extinguished and left to men like Jon Stewart, George Galloway and countless individuals on the internet. The reality (something many of us are unfamiliar with due to the consolidation and private ownership of major media) is that this war is a henous crime against humanity, and it's architects are international criminals. Americans, Iraqi's and Afgan's (including children) die, everyday, are terrorized, tortured or worse because it suits the agenda of wealth and power to continue this insanity.

Perhaps you'd like to make another cheap shot? Some bit of pseudo-logic, a paramoralism that justifies this strange crime against humanity. But here, in REALITY, that's all it is. And most people, if they apply a little thought, can see right through it.

Anyway guys thanks for your comments, I appreciate your insights and support. The more I think about these wars the more insane they seem. The more I read, the more I talk about em... there's just no logic, no sense behind it all. If I could share that with a few people here and there it may help, it may not, but at least I'll have felt like I've done something to stop it.

edit: And now that I checked it seems another father has added his two cents to the story about the soldier. I hesitate to comment back, but here's what he said:

I have a son in the 3rd Brigade of the 25th, who just returned in October from 15 mo in Iraq. Also, I was in a war. Everything you said is so true. I am very proud of you and all your unit. And as for CYRE, obviously you haven't been in a war, and another thing that's also obvious, you've never been serious about anything in your life that REALLY MATTERS. So, till you have, quit trying to belittle our troops. They are the reason you have the rights which you apparently so foolishly squander.

Back to a REAL hero, Kevin, whatever you do in life from this point on, you've surely earned your place.

Thank you for your service, and may GOD bless you and keep you.

LS, proud vet and proud father of an OIF vet.

Seems as if I'm running up against a 'respect the military and service members' program. I just don't know what to say to that in a way that's externally considerate. That article is here: _http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/113-01162008-1471963.html

edit: again, came up with something:

Heroes, to me, are individuals who go against the grain, who help others selflessly regardless of race, creed, or nationality. The reality is of Iraq is starkly different from the picture painted in this article. To get an idea I suggest you talk with your son, in depth. Ask him about House raids - was he on any? And during his 15 months did he see innocent Iraqi's tortured/shot at/detained, was there a lot of racism toward Iraqi's? Further - I do not denegrate our soldiers, as you seem to imply, I do question their actions and the motives of those giving them orders, there is a difference.

 

[PepperFritz]

Cyre:

For what it's worth, I really admire and appreciate your responses to these people. Despite the hostile baiting and character-attacks, you maintained a balanced tone while succinctly driving home the CLEAR TRUTH. While your words are not likely to put a dent in their sad (and scary) DENIAL, they may give pause to other readers ready to question the "party line"....