Jessica Lynch Responds to Not Meeting With Iraqi Lawyer

[kskiska]

Says she does not want the fanfare

Jessica Lynch issued a response to her not meeting with Iraqi lawyer Mohammed Al-Rehaief.

Rehaief visited the hometown of former P-O-W Jessica Lynch yesterday.

He is the Iraqi man who told marines of Lynch being held in a hospitol in Nasiriyah.

However, during his visit, Al-Rehaief was not able to meet with Jessica.

Today, Lynch's spokesperson, Steve Goodwin, told 13 News, "Jessica wants to meet with Mohammed, but she wants that meeting to be private, without camera or reporters present.

more…
http://wowktv.com/news/index.cfm?newsItemID=621

[librechik]

1. good for her

n/t

[candy331]

2. I wonder

what she will tell him? Keep your mouth closed!

[Cush]

3. On Olbermann

the line was: "She was too busy"

He said that the rest of the town welcomed him

[GalleryGod]

22. Doin' What? Counting Silver pieces?

When she states that's she's giving away 33% of her "take" to those who died while with her-then I'll believe she's not the HillBilly Puppet she is! Greed & avarice strike again!:spank:

[Say_What]

4. "Nayirah" Handler Hypes Iraqi's Book on Lynch Rescue

Look who's f*ck'n promoting the book--Mohammed's colleague, Lauri Fitz-Pegado, infamous for her work at Hill & Knowlton PR in 1990 coaching the Kuwaiti girl called "Nayirah" in her shocking but phony testimony on Congressional hill that she'd seen Iraqi soldiers murdering Kuwaiti babies. About the wannabe savior Mohammed Odeh al-Rehaief:

Granted US asylum

Received $300,000 from Rupert Murdoch's Harper Collins for his new book about the Lynch rescue

Given a job at the Livingston Group, a high-powered D.C. lobby firm

Book is being promoted by his Livingston Group colleague Lauri Fitz-Pegado, infamous for her work at Hill & Knowlton PR in 1990 coaching the Kuwaiti girl called "Nayirah" in her shocking but phony testimony on Congressional hill that she'd seen Iraqi soldiers murdering Kuwaiti babies.

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=03/10/17/1530239

[jrthin]

10. This whole story is starting

to smell fishy.

[Say_What]

12. Guardian: The Truth About Jessica

Her Iraqi guards had long fled, she was being well cared for - and doctors had already tried to free her. John Kampfner discovers the real story behind a modern American war myth

Thursday May 15, 2003

<clips>

...Releasing its five-minute film to the networks, the Pentagon claimed that Lynch had stab and bullet wounds, and that she had been slapped about on her hospital bed and interrogated. It was only thanks to a courageous Iraqi lawyer, Mohammed Odeh al-Rehaief, that she was saved. According to the Pentagon, Al-Rehaief risked his life to alert the Americans that Lynch was being held.

Just after midnight, Army Rangers and Navy Seals stormed the Nassiriya hospital. Their "daring" assault on enemy territory was captured by the military's night-vision camera. They were said to have come under fire, but they made it to Lynch and whisked her away by helicopter. That was the message beamed back to viewers within hours of the rescue.

Al-Rehaief was granted asylum barely two weeks after arriving in the US. He is now the toast of Washington, with a fat $500,000 (£309,000) book deal. Rescue in Nassiriya will be published in October. As for Lynch, her status as cult hero is stronger than ever. Internet auction sites have listed at least 10 Jessica Lynch items, ranging from an oil painting with an opening bid of $200 to a $5 "America Loves Jessica Lynch" fridge magnet. Trouble is that doctors now say she has no recollection of the whole episode and probably never will. Her memory loss means that "researchers" have been called in to fill in the gaps.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,956255,00.html

[hlthe2b]

5. Hmmm, I'm not buying it...

How hard would it have been to have met him in a location that restricts reporters. At worse, they might have filmed his arrival/departure.

Sounds like a weak attempt to counter the criticism she is getting for not meeting with the very guy who was likely responsible for her "retrieval."

I do empathize with Lynch on some level, but she is an adult. She should know right from wrong by now. The DOD and WH may be manipulating her, but she is letting them. My true empathy is for the Native Amerian woman soldier who died and the others who were severely wounded, paraded, then discarded (for lack of photogeneity or whatever reason)...

[jfxgillis]

6. Hmmmm.

I've pondered some, and I think I am buying it.

Consider: Suppose (as she alone knows best), Lynch is more than a little embarrassed at the over-hyping bordering on LIES surrounding her actions (provable LIES if you count that bullshit Susan Schmidt article in the WashPost). If she's a decent person of good faith, which she looks to be to my eyes, she would naturally shrink from doing ANYTHING that might feed the hype.

But I can't totally discount your reasoning. I just tend to disagree.

[coralrf]

7. She is full of shit.

That is not at all what she said initially. She tried to pawn off a "too busy" shtick and that was patently absurd. So Rove came up with the "anti press" lie. It fits her needs and Bushes. It’s called getting two birds with one stone.

This wonderful woman has abandoned her squad mates, lied about amnesia and now snubs an Iraqi instrumental in keeping her alive. What a fucking spoiled little shit she is.

I am a combat veteran. We don’t act like this. She is a fake.

[DemVet]

11. How do "we" act?

Yeah, I'm a combat vet too. :toast:

She's a fake? Are her injuries fake as well?

Ease up dude. We don't know her side of the story. Being a simple pawn in this political battle, I'll give her the benefit of the doubt until I find out otherwise.

[atreides1]

25. Boo Hoo Hoo

Everybody feel sorry for the cute little blonde girl, what a load of crap.

So little Jessica is a pawn, I guess that makes her parents pod people, you would think that they would have taught her things like integrity, and having principles, but I guess that would be too much
to ask for.

Let's see, little Jessica gets medical retirement, 80% disability, and gets to go to rehab at, get this now, a civilian hospital, not a VA hospital.

Now Shoshonna Johnson, who was shot in both ankles and was held as a POW for 22 days, suffering beatings, little food. She gets 30% disability, and this after her first request was denied, and she gets to go to a VA hospital. Specialist Johnson is the real hero, not Lynch.

Jessica isn't a pawn she and her parents are puppets, and nothing more.

By the way her injuries were the kind that someone in a car accident would suffer. And one last thing we will never know her side of the story, mainly because of people like you who want to ease up and give her the benefit of the doubt.

When are you going to say enough is enough, you will never find out what really happened, so you wear your rose colored glasses and wander around HappyLand.

I'm a combat vet too, mine was a short experience, but it was something that I'll never forget.

[rocktivity]

8. Nonsense

If this meeting was pre-arranged, that's what she would have said right off the bat. If she wasn't expecting him, I can certainly understand her not wanting to be "conscripted" into what clearly would have been a superficial media event. Of course, that assumes that the Al-Rehaief story is true. But what if it isn't, and THAT'S the reason why she nixed the meeting? Remember, we only have the Bush White House's word for it that she doesn't remember anything. On the other hand, maybe it's because of Al-Rehaief's book--she doesn't want it to distract from the one she's (ghost)writing.


rocknation

[IndianaGreen]

9. Lynch and/or her lawyer are as bigger liars as Bush

Lynch became unconscious when the Humvee she was riding in overturned. She has no memory of what happened. I cannot fathom what could she possibly have to say about her Iraq experiences that could not be told, with far more detail, by any of the other survivors of the 507 Maint Co.

Considering the contemporary press reports that Lynch had been a very close friend of the only Native-American in her unit, PFC Lori Piestewa, how come Lynch has yet to meet with Piestawa's family to share in their grief?

Seems to me that the real heroes of the 507th have yet to be recognized for their gallant actions while under fire on a battle that lasted between 60 to 90 minutes according to the following report prepared by TRADOC:

Attack on the 507th Maintenance Company
23 March 2003
An Nasiriyah, Iraq
Executive Summary


Luten was wounded in the leg while reaching for his M16. The group took increasing small arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire from all sides; and like the first group faced attempts to block the road with debris and vehicles. The tractor-trailer immediately in front of CPL Luten’s tractor-trailer, crewed by SPC Zhang and SGT Campbell, was hit multiple times and became inoperable about 5 kilometers south of the city—but short of CPT King’s final location further south. Zhang jumped out of the disabled tractor-trailer and got on the tractor-trailer rolling immediately behind, occupied by Dubois and Luten. SGT Campbell was shot while attempting to fire Zhang’s M16/M203. The HMMWV crewed by Nash and Jackson stopped to pick up Campbell, and was disabled a short distance further south. SSG Jackson had received multiple wounds prior to stopping to rescue Campbell. Dubois, Luten, and Zhang turned around and returned to the disabled HMMWV.

SPC Grubb returned fire with his M16 until wounded in both arms, despite reported jamming of his weapon, while PFC Elliot maneuvered their fuel truck through the ambush. SGT Rose, driving a tractor-trailer, maneuvered through obstacles in the road while under fire. CPL Carista, who was riding with Rose, was wounded by shrapnel. The fuel truck, crewed by SPC Grubb and PFC Elliot, and the tractor-trailer, occupied by SGT Rose and CPL Carista, linked up with the Soldiers already at the disabled HMMWV. This group formed a defensive perimeter, while Combat Lifesavers (Carista, Elliot, Rose, Zhang) under the leadership of SGT Rose tended to the wounded Soldiers (Campbell, Carista, Grubb, Jackson and Luten). The Marines arrived at the scene and rescued the 10 Soldiers at this location.

<snip>

In the HEMTT wrecker towing a 5-ton tractor-trailer, SPC Hudson attempted to fire his M249 SAW while driving, but it malfunctioned. After he had driven past obstacles and debris, including an Iraqi tank blocking the road, his vehicle was disabled on the southern edge of the city. Iraqi forces continued to fire on the vehicle after it stopped. CW2 Mata, in the passenger seat, was killed, having sustained multiple wounds. Hudson, also wounded, was immediately surrounded after the shooting stopped, and was pulled from the vehicle by Iraqis and captured. (FIGURE 8 shows the final disposition of the convoy).

The 5-ton tractor trailer (#8), crewed by PFC Howard Johnson and PVT Ruben Estrella-Soto, and the 5-ton truck (#9), crewed by SPC Jamaal Addison and SPC James Kiehl, attempted to drive out of the city. After both vehicles maneuvered several miles under fire, and nearly out of the city, both were destroyed. There are few details to describe what happened to the Soldiers in these vehicles. Both vehicles were stopped: #9 overturned at the Highway 8-7/8 intersection, possibly hit by direct or indirect fire, and #8 was disabled south of the intersection. There is some evidence to suggest that vehicle #8 struck the barrel of an Iraqi tank. All four Soldiers were killed in action.

http://www.4law.co.il/Le845.htm

[Astarho]

15. I remember that too

Considering the contemporary press reports that Lynch had been a very close friend of the only Native-American in her unit, PFC Lori Piestewa, how come Lynch has yet to meet with Piestawa's family to share in their grief?

Considering how much Native Americans trust the government, they probably believe this whole thing even less then we do. That would be a PR disaster for Jessica and her handlers.

I wonder how much Piestewa will be in the movie? :eyes:

[gbwarming]

17. Lynch isn't involved in the movie.

I can't beleive the venom in these threads. You all know the Bush* administration fabricated large parts of the rescue story - we smelled it as it happened. The spin machine started when her name was released as MIA - she had NO part in that.

EVERYTHING (that I've read) that she or her family has said has been respectful toward the other members of the 507th.

If you're angry then direct it at the media for it's narrow focus or the Bushies for their lies.

[IndianaGreen]

18. Lynch isn't being paid $1 million for nothing!

The film is part of a package that includes the book deal. And the film is about her rescue, and her, not about the plight of the 507 Maint Co.

[Astarho]

19. I thought that was what I was doing

I know Jessica had no part in what was happening to her and she is being used by the Bushies and the media, but it still pisses me off that this girl get so much attention when the Black POW or Lori Piestewa's children get no coverage. I feel sorry for her and her family as they are all caught up in this.

I know the Lynch family has nothing to do with the movie. Considering the contemporary reports that she was friends with Lori Piestewa, you would think that would include that (so far I've seen no one credited as Lori in the movie)

[gbwarming]

21. Someone remembered Lori Piestewa

(Sorry, Astarho, I misread your intentions.)

http://www.ajc.com/news/content/news/1003/25lynch.html
AP
...
Charleston attorney Stephen Goodwin said Lynch wanted to set up the foundation after her best friend Spc. Lori Piestewa, 22, of Tuba City, Ariz., was killed in the ambush that left Lynch near death.

The Hopi Tribe member, who became the first servicewoman to die in the war in Iraq, left behind two young children, Brandon, 5, and Carla, 3.

Piestewa wanted her children to go to college, and Lynch hopes the foundation will help them and many others who may need help realizing educational goals, Goodwin said.

"This is because of Lori more than anything," Goodwin said. "Jessi loves little kids and wanted to give something back."
...
Goodwin said the foundation will be funded with proceeds from Lynch's upcoming book and other revenue sources.

[mike_c]

13. "Lynch's spokesperson"?

Who the hell is Steve Goodwin?

[TreasonousBastard]

14. I've had it with Lynch...

and I think a lot of others have, too.

I don't pretend to know what she's really thinking or doing about all this, but she was set up as a hero. Lynch was probably a pretty good soldier, and they did this to her.

All wars can use a personal hero, and she's it for this one. Turns out that, as with all of the BS the misadministration has put out, she's not really the best one. But, she worked for a while, and that's all they seem to care about.

Everyone else there is squeezed out of the story. God forbid, they might say something to take the glow off of heroic little Jessie. They might even <gasp> mention that they are getting screwed while she's still the hero of the whole thing, and still has the book and movie deals.

The story, like everything else coming out of the White House, was bullshit Pentagon PR, and it's starting to bite them in the ass.

Remember how they used Paula Jones? Watch out, Jessie-- after it's all over, you might get out of it with nothing but a nose job.

[Democat]

16. She doesn't want "fanfare" but she seems to be fine with book publicity

This is unfortunate.

[BiggJawn]

20. Too Late, Jessie. You shit in your messkit...

...Now eat from it.

The time to ask for a "private" meeting with Mohammed was BEFORE the press ran with the "She's too busy" story.

[GalleryGod]

23. Here,Here! Well put,indeeed!

El Greedo, strikes a-gain!:argh:

[TheLastMohican]

24. Maybe she doesn't remember him?

According to some authorities she had amnesia.
This is something like:
-Jessica, my sweet love, how wonderful to see you again after those iraqi sands.
- Hey, stop! No hugging, please! Who the hell are you?
-But I am your rescuer, Mohammed Al-Rehaief. I told your guys to help rescue you. I draw them five maps and gave them keys to all rooms of the hospital. I took out seven Iraqi guards in kung-fu action. I am your knight, lady.
- I don't remember you rescuing me. In fact, I remember nurses and doctors in the hospital, but I haven't seen you around. Are you a doctor?
- No I am a lawyer, who happened to be in the hospital for whatever reasons and saw how an Iraqi officer was slapping you on the cheek.
- Nobody slaped me on the cheek. Those people treating me in the hospital were very nice to me.
- But I saw a colonel, Iraqi colonel slap you, believe me. I told the americans that you are being abused and how you should be rescued. They planned the night assault with all those fancy "Go,go,go" battle cries and granted me an asylum for helping you out.
- I repeat once again, nobody slaped me on the cheek. The hospital staff was very friendly to me and I haven't seen any Iraqi army soldiers.
- Look lady, you are truly brain-damaged and don't remember jackshit. They told me you would play along and remember me for what I did to you, but I see now that you forgot your part of the script. If not for me the iraqis would treat you badly. Why don't you listen when everybody tells you the same story.
- Listen man, I don't know who you are and what are you doing here sharlatan. You'd better get lost before I call the police.....:)