Soldiers "wrested town from insurgents vile grip" Denver Post

[donco6]

As the third anniversary of the war in Iraq approaches and U.S. troops execute the largest air assault in Iraq since the invasion, the 3rd ACR is home, telling the story of how Tall Afar was reborn - and reclaimed from insurgents.

About 1,500 insurgents assumed control of the city in September 2004, using it as a training ground to develop new recruits and to spread their fight to other parts of the country.

They kidnapped adolescent boys, sexually assaulted them and turned them into cells of operatives with one purpose: to behead people, said the 3rd ACR's commander, Col. H.R. McMaster.

http://www.denverpost.com/nationworld/ci_3610584

I don't know . . . but something smells funny about this story. Anyone else?

[John Q. Citizen]

1. Yeah, it's pure propagana n/t

[The_Casual_Observer]

2. I would bet it's just bad fiction written by Col. H.R. McMaster

whoever he is.

[alcibiades_mystery]

3. This is part of the propaganda campaign to get the poll #s back up

They are farming out loyal officers to tell ridiculous stories on TV and in the papers. This laughable Tal Afar story was peddled by Lara Logan on 60 Minutes last week, complete with kids dancing and chanting the name of some US Captain.

These stories are all coordinated with the White House PR office through the Pentagon. They are worthless for anything other than propaganda.

HR McMaster is also a right wing ideologue who wrote a book condemning LBJ, McNamara and company for Vietnam, while absolving any Republicans. Now, don't get me wrong: LBJ and MacNamara deserve all the shit that's flung at them for Vietnam, but this book is more in the vein of "Look how incompetent the Democrats were with the War (psst, Republicans and especially Goldwater would have done a better job of blowing Vietnam to shit)." In other words, they got a loyal flunky behind the Tal Afar operation in the first place, and now tap him to contribute to the PR effort, his military insignia a thin disguise for his political function.

[donco6]

4. It had the "meat-grinder" room ring to it.

Took up two full pages in the Post today.

[BrotherBuzz]

9. Col. McMaster was a military fellow at the Hoover Institution

His words...

"President George W. Bush's approach to the current Iraqi problem stands in stark contrast to LBJ's approach to Vietnam. The Bush administration made its case for military action, and, after considerable debate, the American people, through their representatives in Congress, gave approval. The administration also made its case to the United Nations, highlighting the damage that inaction would inflict on prospects for peace in the long term."

Your assessment. "his military insignia is a thin disguise for his political function", is spot on.

[donco6]

11. That explains a lot. Thanks.

Glad my instincts were correct.

[FormerDittoHead]

5. From the writers of the Jessica Lynch story!..... n/t

[hatrack]

6. And then they implanted extraterrestrial insects in their ears . ..

So that they would respond to commands, just like they did with Lt. Chekov in The Wrath of Khan, and then they implanted electrodes in their medullas, and then they tied them to the tracks . .

And then?!? And then?!?

And then the train started coming!

And then?!? And THEN?!?!

And then along came John . . .

[donco6]

7. Like your quote from That Hideous Strength.

Haven't read that book in years.

[dicknbush]

8. HEY HEY This is just a diversion for a presidnet with bad numbers...

Oh sorry that only applies if it is a democratic president if it's a republican then it's to protect all of America>>>

[Roland99]

10. Damn! Didn't take long for the M$M whores to catapault the propaganda >>>>

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x686424

[donco6]

12. I didn't see that thread earlier.

Wow. It certainly has been well "PR-ed", huh?

[Roland99]

13. Well, my thread came after yours. *I* didn't see *yours*.

:D