'Mr. Arkin, do you consider yourself a journalist or an American.'

[Rose Siding]

Here's a blood boiler, and a reminder of the intimidation journalists face -must be willing to face- when they actually do their job, related by William Arkin at his Washington Post blog-

A story: Almost three years ago, I was invited to give a talk to a high-level military audience about "information warfare" as seen by a member of the media. I had been writing most of 2002 about U.S. plans for an Iraq war, indeed I had revealed what the Pentagon felt were damaging details of the war plan. At the end of my talk, a Marine Corps Brigadier General asked the question:.....

General: 'Mr. Arkin, do you consider yourself a journalist or an American.'

I took a drink of water as my blood boiled.

Me: 'Well General, because I am an American, I cherish the fact that I can call you a f***ing idiot for asking the question.'

All hell broke loose: The general lodged a complaint up the chain of command to get me punished and my sponsors were reprimanded.

It was tough for the General to be faced with an inflammatory and insubordinate response that he could do nothing about. Too bad he learned nothing (happily for America, he has since retired).

I was punished as much as the military could punish me. I wasn't disappeared nor thrown in jail. In the America I cherish, I just was dropped from the speaker's list. And even then, it was only for awhile, until the dust settled, and then intellectuals and brave souls in the military who dare to stand up to the conformity machine agitated to get me invited back, knowing that if they were going to ponder the media and information warfare, they'd better listen…

[Bozita]

1. reminds me of Spader's speech in last week's Boston Legal

Good find, Rose!

In case you've missed it, here's the video:
http://media.putfile.com/Boston-Legal

[spooky3]

9. Thank you. I am stunned that this was on "mainstream TV."

[Jade Fox]

13. WOW. Just WOW.

That was amazing. Boston Legal is not a show I watch, but I'm going to email those responsible for it and thank them for that speech.

[Fovea]

18. Like Jos Welch...

This is a resounding bitch slap on the jowls of those who fear and hate freedom, real freedom, rather than the PNAC freedom to be conformist.

[C_U_L8R]

2. I'd like to buy that man a beer

wow !!

[leveymg]

3. Glad it wasn't Pace. Does anyone have a link to a good source

explaining where he's coming from?

His testimony the other day shooting down Rummy's allegations that Iran is behind Iraqi IEDs gives me reason for hope. It wouldn't be the first time, however, that Pace has publicly differed with the Defense Secretary over important issues. This from Pace's Wikipedia bio: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Pace

On November 29, 2005, General Pace was present at a press conference given by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.

When UPI's Pam Hess asked about torture by Iraqi authorities, Rumsfeld replied that "obviously, the United States does not have a responsibility" other than to voice disapproval..

But Pace had a different view. "It is the absolute responsibility of every U.S. service member, if they see inhumane treatment being conducted, to intervene, to stop it," the general said..

Rumsfeld interjected: "I don't think you mean they have an obligation to physically stop it; it's to report it.".

But Pace meant what he said. "If they are physically present when inhumane treatment is taking place, sir, they have an obligation to try to stop it," he said, firmly.

[EVDebs]

8. "Death has a tendency to encourage a depressing view of war."

--Donald Rumsfeld

[leveymg]

10. Chickenhawk true-believers aren't known for their realism

I can see Pace smiling as Rummy is led out of the building in handcuffs.

[Critters2]

11. Rummy is the new Yogi Berra

Always a new gem!

[gollygee]

4. The most classic example of false dichotomy

I have ever seen.

[Reciprocity]

5. .Thanks for posting that. It was a good read with my morning coffee

[Hissyspit]

6. "General, do you consider yourself a trained killer or an American?"

Just as absurd a question, of course.

[EVDebs]

7. Code Names is his book. I'd love to hear what he has to say about...

Wargames during 9-11 and the Ptech (now GoAgile) access to FAA and NAS computers that day

Code Names: Deciphering U.S. Military Plans, Programs, and Operations in the 9/11 World.
More information available at www.CodeNames.org.

The Pentagon attack could only have been accomplished with the wargames being already known about (see the
http://www.oilempire.us/wargames.html#airforce
weblink showing in detail ) and any 'insiders' who could give such information to the Saudi/UAE hijackers

Ptech article
http://www.madcowprod.com/index45.html

showing their FAA and NAS computer access, along with other clients tied to intelligence. I understand that Ptech has now changed its name to GoAgile, for what it's worth.

Dollars of Terror
http://www.frontpagemagazine.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=17730
(warning: appears to be a conservative website)

""Ptech’s clients in 2001 included the Department of Justice, the Department of Energy, Customs, Air Force, the White House, the FAA, IBM, Sysco, Aetna, and Motorola, to name just a few...
The FBI finally raided Ptech on December 6, 2002. However, no arrests were made and the company continues to operate, and according to Ptech’s CEO, Oussama Ziade, in May 2004, "Ptech still has government agencies as customers, including the White House."...Recently, Ptech changed both the name of the company and of its software to GoAgile.""

BTW, obviously the General's statement was meant as intimidation

"A story: Almost three years ago, I was invited to give a talk to a high-level military audience about "information warfare" as seen by a member of the media. I had been writing most of 2002 about U.S. plans for an Iraq war, indeed I had revealed what the Pentagon felt were damaging details of the war plan. At the end of my talk, a Marine Corps Brigadier General asked the question: 'Mr. Arkin, do you consider yourself a journalist or an American.' "

Arkin prefaces be showing he had revealed Penatgon details of the war plan. He needn't have fretted, later on we find that in 1973 Nixon planned on seizing Saudi oil fields. Those same plans were merely tweaked to fit Iraq !

Too bad the Brits had to tell the story, not the paper of record, the NYTimes who busied themselves getting us into Iraq:

British spies warned of U.S. plans to invade Arab states
Friday, January 2, 2004
http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/europe/01/01/britain.nixon.ap/index.html

Also, check the date. After the fact of the Iraq invasion and too late to be of any use. Oh well, the first casualty in war is...

[Marie26]

12. Go Arkin.

He's done some really revealing work & I was a little worried he might back down w/the intimidation of reporters. It's good to see that that's not going to happen.

[Karenina]

14. Mutually exclusive?

:shrug:

:bounce: LOVE HIS RESPONSE! :bounce:

[mondo joe]

15. Only a fuckhead would think one would have to choose BETWEEN

being an American or a Journalist.

The press is so integral to America that the founders call it our for special protection.

[Fovea]

16. Dear General

if you believe the two things to be mutally exclusive, how can you fulfill your oath to defend the constitution of the United States?

A real journalist does everything a good American citizen does, only more so.

[Coexist]

17. damn good answer.

thanks for posting this.