Poll time! Reporters: Hang out or get out?

[ericg753]

How do you all feel about the reporters filming EVERY SINGLE THING our soldiers are doing?

 

[Rusty]

I actually think the bigger threat are the reporters that are in the petagon breifings.......Have you heard some of the ignorant questions they are asking?

It's almost like they are wanting the US forces to fuck up so they can report it first. This is just another example of the typical liberal media.

 

[DaMayor]

If it doesn't interfere or endanger the troops, they don't give away any tactical information, and they can hang with the big dogs, let 'em stay. The U.S. needs credible witnesses against the Iraqi propaganda machine anyway....which is running full speed.

 

[david]

If they were there for camera footage wt/ narration, it would be OK otherwise, it's too much!

But they are making it more interesting, aren't they??

 

[DaMayor]

Originally posted by Rusty
Have you heard some of the ignorant questions they are asking?

Did you hear that Jackass ask Gen. Franks if we were dealing in a campaign of deceipt and lies...or something along those lines?
(I think I would have told him to kiss my American ass.) Franks cooly shut him up.

 

[I Are Baboon]

When $75 billion of MY tax money is going towards something, I like to see that money at work.

 

[MJ23]

Originally posted by I Are Baboon
When $75 billion of MY tax money is going towards something, I like to see that money at work.

I did not know Taxes in Connecticut were so high....

 

[david]

There the highest in the US, I beleive.

Ask IAB how he loves paying car taxes, too!

 

[Rusty]

Originally posted by I Are Baboon
When $75 billion of MY tax money is going towards something, I like to see that money at work.

Damn dude........you must make allot of money to pay those kind of taxes........

 

[david]

 

[ericg753]

The reason I ask this is because I feel the reporters are up the soldier's asses. The Iraqis are purposely violating the Geneva Convention, dressing as women, US soldiers, firing from the top of buildings where there are civilians (especially the women and children), raising white flags to surrender then firing upon us, greeting our soldiers with open arms then firing on them....should I go on? If they want to play dirty, we should also! God forbid one US soldier is treading through water and accidentally steps on an Iraqi guppy fish, the civil rights activists will be all over our asses! I think the reporters are giving away WAY too much information on where the president is coming and going and what are plans are next. They are turning this into a made for home movie. I say get them out and let our soldiers do what they were trained to do....KICK SOME SERIOUS ASS. Not saying they aren't now, but you be a soldier laying in a fox hole with heavy artillery raining down on you and have a reporter with a camera over your shoulder.

 

[Rusty]

Originally posted by ericg753
The reason I ask this is because I feel the reporters are up the soldier's asses. The Iraqis are purposely violating the Geneva Convention, dressing as women, US soldiers, firing from the top of buildings where there are civilians (especially the women and children), raising white flags to surrender then firing upon us, greeting our soldiers with open arms then firing on them....should I go on? If they want to play dirty, we should also! God forbid one US soldier is treading through water and accidentally steps on an Iraqi guppy fish, the civil rights activists will be all over our asses! I think the reporters are giving away WAY too much information on where the president is coming and going and what are plans are next. They are turning this into a made for home movie. I say get them out and let our soldiers do what they were trained to do....KICK SOME SERIOUS ASS. Not saying they aren't now, but you be a soldier laying in a fox hole with heavy artillery raining down on you and have a reporter with a camera over your shoulder.

Eric, I don't know if you remember this, but a few months ago the millitary held a special traning camp for those journalist interested in being embeded with the troops. They were taught how to handle light arms, first aid, physical training and even giving instructions on how to use their cameras in a manner inwhich they would not interfear with the operations of the soldiers. In addition they were instructed on what they could and could not show on camera and are consantly being told in the field........."Do Not Give Out this Info, .......bla bla bla".

Then after this school, any reporter that didn't sign up and complete to course, did not get to go with the troops.

 

[DaMayor]

Well, it might be a necessary evil to allow them to stay, as opposed to letting the collective American Imagination run rampant. Those groups who oppose the war would have everyone thinking that our troops were eating the damn people if there wasn't evidence to prove otherwise.

 

[ericg753]

Originally posted by DaMayor
Well, it might be a necessary evil to allow them to stay, as opposed to letting the collective American Imagination run rampant. Those groups who oppose the war would have everyone thinking that our troops were eating the damn people if there wasn't evidence to prove otherwise.

That's a damn true statement about the war opposers! I didn't know about the reporters being trained. I just feel the Marines can do way much more by not having the reporters over their shoulders. We didn't have cameras and live footage at ANY US war, including the Gulf war in '91, Vietnam, WWI and II. Is it really that necessary? Is it really good for our children (for those of you that have children) to be clicking through the channels looking for cartoons and accidentally find live footage of dead US soldiers with Iraqis celebrating? I know what is coming next, that is a parent's responsibility to monitor what they are watching. But when you are busy with other things around the house, washing clothes, cooking dinner, preparing a bath, etc., you can't always keep your eyes on them. I do a great job with this, but I can't be in the den all the time.
Is it also necessary for me to go to Yahoo (and other sites) and see a photo of a young 4 year old Iraqi boy with half his face burned while his hysterical mother is looking for help? The media has to CHILL OUT, but as always, they won't. They just want a good story.

 

[Tboy]

Originally posted by Rusty
Damn dude........you must make allot of money to pay those kind of taxes........

Bill Gates is his sugar daddy.

 

[Rusty]

Originally posted by ericg753
That's a damn true statement about the war opposers! I didn't know about the reporters being trained. I just feel the Marines can do way much more by not having the reporters over their shoulders. We didn't have cameras and live footage at ANY US war, including the Gulf war in '91, Vietnam, WWI and II. Is it really that necessary? Is it really good for our children (for those of you that have children) to be clicking through the channels looking for cartoons and accidentally find live footage of dead US soldiers with Iraqis celebrating? I know what is coming next, that is a parent's responsibility to monitor what they are watching. But when you are busy with other things around the house, washing clothes, cooking dinner, preparing a bath, etc., you can't always keep your eyes on them. I do a great job with this, but I can't be in the den all the time.
Is it also necessary for me to go to Yahoo (and other sites) and see a photo of a young 4 year old Iraqi boy with half his face burned while his hysterical mother is looking for help? The media has to CHILL OUT, but as always, they won't. They just want a good story.

I'm glad you brought this up. I may be a bad parent, but I encourage my kids to watch the war footage. My kids are 15, 14, 13, 10......My kids and I have conversations about what is happening and why. I try to explain as much as possible to them. I'm even teaching them the difference between a liberal and a conservative.

 

[DaMayor]

Originally posted by Rusty
I'm glad you brought this up. I may be a bad parent, but I encourage my kids to watch the war footage. My kids are 15, 14, 13, 10......My kids and I have conversations about what is happening and why. I try to explain as much as possible to them. I'm even teaching them the difference between a liberal and a conservative.

As long as you're discussing it with them, sure, it's okay. But with no supervision or explanation of what they're watching, the idea of younger children viewing this stuff might pose a problem if left unsupervised. Personally, while I don't want to shelter my child entirely, I don't want to desensitize or condition him to violence either.
Just like I told you earlier today, Rus, it bugged me when my 3 year old said, "Look Daddy, shock and awe!" the other night.

 

[Rusty]

Originally posted by DaMayor
As long as you're discussing it with them, sure, it's okay. But with no supervision or explanation of what they're watching, the idea of younger children viewing this stuff might pose a problem if left unsupervised. Personally, while I don't want to shelter my child entirely, I don't want to desensitize or condition him to violence either.
Just like I told you earlier today, Rus, it bugged me when my 3 year old said, "Look Daddy, shock and awe!" the other night.

I think my 14 year old (boy) has been fully desensitiezed. I caught him looking at internet porn the other day. I think his ass is still burning.......

 

[ericg753]

I totally agree children must be aware of what is going on rather than sheltering them from reality. I have had talks with my 8 year old son about it. He understands what is happening and why, he is sad about the fact that we have to go to war but wants Saddam to be removed (in 8 year old words of course!). I'm talking about that split second you turn your back and the channels start changing and poof! An image of a dead US soldier appears. Well actually I don't think the US networks have shown that, or have they?

 

[irontime]

I don't mind them being there. Todays technology lets them zoom in from pretty far away so they should be safe. The only thing that's starting to piss me off is they are having a lot of 'breaking news' reports during the middle of the Simpsons. I mean come on, leave it till commercial time will ya?

 

[I Are Baboon]

Originally posted by MJ23
I did not know Taxes in Connecticut were so high....

Originally posted by david
There the highest in the US, I beleive.

Yup, as is the average household income.

 

[ALBOB]

Originally posted by ericg753 We didn't have cameras and live footage at ANY US war, including the Gulf war in '91, Vietnam, WWI and II.

Wellllllllllll...................that's not ENTIRELY true. A lot of the most famous reporters you've ever heard of got their feet wet by being war correspondants; Edward R. Murrow; Walter Cronkite, Dan Rather, etc. We have had live coverage of wars in the past, just not as MUCH coverage because the technology didn't exist.

Now, back to your original point, I can see both sides of this argument. Eric's saying that since our every move is being documented, that can be used as evidence against when we SHOULD be just kicking ass. Others are saying that the embedded reporters are providing proof that the Al Jazeera propaganda machine is telling nothing but lies. I agree with Eric in that the front line troops shouldn't have to be constantly looking over their shoulders to see if the cameras are rolling. The problem I see with that argument is that the people who are against this war will be against it whether we follow the rules or not. I'm gonna side with the folks who say "let the reporters stay". If for no other reason than to provide positive proof that we're not the monsters the Arab news organizations are making us out to be. Every soldier, sailor, airman and marine can come home and say, "Look, we did a good thing and here's the proof."

 

[ericg753]

Update:

Good news that I heard from a co-worker who is a Marine...

I won't say much, unlike all the websites, tv shows and newspapers. However, feel relieved that all the animalistic methods the Iraqi "military" is using out of desperation is not, without a shadow of a doubt, being ignored. We, special ops, are getting down and very dirty. These are our ELITE that you don't hear about or see pictures of or that the reporters are allowed to report about.

 

[DaMayor]

Originally posted by ericg753
We, special ops, are getting down and very dirty. These are our ELITE that you don't hear about or see pictures of or that the reporters are allowed to report about.

Our special ops boys have been taking care of business long before the war was ever 'declared'. Think about recent events..... AlBob? At a golf course? For an entire week? Oh nnnnoHell no, AlBob was on the move baby! Kickin' eastern ass at every opportunity. Its a bird! its a plane! Its.....CovertBob!

http://www.ironmagazineforums.com/attachment.php?s=&postid=75795

 

[ALBOB]

DaMayor, you are one SICK MoFo.

P.S. That was supposed to be a SECRET mission.

 

[DaMayor]

Whimp.

Okay then....is this better?!

 

[ALBOB]

Originally posted by DaMayor Okay then....is this better?!

No, the other pic was better but I can't believe you put it out there where women and children could see it. Imagine the young minds that might get damaged.

 

[ericg753]

What the hell is that?

 

[david]

Originally posted by DaMayor
Whimp.

Okay then....is this better?!

Is that Michael Jackson??

 

[DaMayor]

Originally posted by ALBOB
No, the other pic was better but I can't believe you put it out there where women and children could see it. Imagine the young minds that might get damaged.

Why do you think I haven't posted mine? Well, then again, there's that America's Most Wanted thing....