Did ABC News just debunk the hand-held missile story?

[madfloridian]

I only caught a portion, but it really sounded that way. Did anyone catch the whole segment?

Manufactured story by government, is what I thought I heard.

[jab105]

1. AND NOW!!

they are talking about the injured and demoralized troops! I cant believe my eyes!

[Cush]

2. Sounds fishy

heard part of it.

Now reporting about the underreported 1,300 Soldiers wounded in Iraq


CBS showed the Anti-US rallies/riots in Iraq and how easy they organize.

[htuttle]

3. Yes, and they did a darned good job of it

They said the story was completely 'exaggerated', and questioned whether he would have done anything at all if not for the government's prodding him.

They laid the whole 'plot' out. One fact I wasn't aware of before I saw it, was that the FBI got this hapless 'arms dealer's' name in the first place from a DEA snitch who was looking to get leniency on another unrelated drug charge.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

4. what hand-held missile story?

what hand-held missile story?
ps I don't have TV so I can't turn to ABC


edit: oh, 'the sting'

[bandy]

5. I can't beleive it but

I heard it too. Made it sound like the missile story is way over rated. And to top it off the story of the injured was also a surprise. Is ABC always this straight?

[VolcanoJen]

6. Not sure, but here's my mini-transcription:

I just rewatched the segment on Tivo, and I didn't come away with the same opinion that you did, although the entire sting operation is fishy as hell. Here's the most interesting and relevant part of the segment, which I'm transcribing to the best of my ability:

Brian Rose: Court documents show much of the case is based on the government's key cooperating witness, who officials tell ABC News is really a drug informant who is seeking lenient treatment, and led the government to (Hemant) Lakhani... prosecutors say Lakhani went along with the scheme willingly and was not entrapped, but the question remains whether any of this would have happened without the skillful choreography of the government, Claire."

Here's a very interesting analysis from LBN, as well:

Analysts Say Missile Sting More Effective as PR Event Than as Serious Blow

- Jennifer

[msmcghee]

7. I heard the story de-bunked this morning on NPR .

According to a journalist that was following the story and who was interviewed on "To the Point" I think . .

. . a punk, wanna-be arms-dealer was bragging (possibly in a bar) about his ability to deliver illegal weapons from Russia into the US. An undercover FBI guy got wind of this and approached him. He posed as a terrorist and placed an order for a ground-to-air missile "capable of downing a commercial passenger jet".

Then our guys got in touch with the Russians and they get together on this to make it easy for this guy to get the weapon from Russia and ship it to the US. The Russians ship a dummy missile.

When it arrives - the dumb shit is arrested. And *Bushco claims an incredibly important victory in the war on terra.

[mjb4]

10. yeah but the damage is done...

stupid americans got the headline and not the full story, especially not this late in the day

[Zero Gravitas]

8. You heard right!

I was amazed too. Instead of repeating the * Regime official line, they said that the significance is being exaggerated and key facts are being left out. The whole thing wass a government setup. The "arms dealer" was "found" by a drug informant looking for a deal with the prosecutors.

They even questioned whether any of this would have happened without Government intervention.

Maybe the tide is turning! If the corporate media whores are less pro-Bush* maybe there is a chance for an actual democratic election in Nov. 2004!

[mjb4]

9. we know who didn't report it

cnn, fox, msnbc, etc....too busy shilling to do any real journalistic work what with that 24 hour news cycle and all..