Shocking Memo Reveals RIGHT WING Talking Points Used To Cover-Up Haditha Atrocities

[kpete]

Troubling, and revealing, details on that view of McGirk – and likely any probing by any reporter into a possible massacre – surfaced today when The New York Times published excerpts from a five-page memo produced by Mathes and three other officers in January 2006 in response to McGirk’s questions. Stonewalling by the military contributed to the Haditha story remaining largely unexplored by the press for several weeks after the sketchy revelations by McGirk in Time.

.................

The memo surfaced in one of the military hearings, according to Times reporter Paul von Zielbauer. The Los Angeles Times quoted from part of it last week. Here are a few portions of the Times’ excerpts.

McGirk: How many marines were killed and wounded in the I.E.D. attack that morning?

Memo: If it bleeds, it leads. This question is McGirk’s attempt to get good bloody gouge on the situation. He will most likely use the information he gains from this answer as an attention gainer.

•
McGirk: How many marines were involved in the killings?

Memo: First off, we don’t know what you’re talking about when you say “killings.” One of our squads reinforced by a squad of Iraqi Army soldiers were engaged by an enemy initiated ambush on the 19th that killed one American marine and seriously injured two others. We will not justify that question with a response. Theme: Legitimate engagement: we will not acknowledge this reporter’s attempt to stain the engagement with the misnomer “killings.”

•
McGirk: Are the marines in this unit still serving in Haditha?

Memo: Yes, we are still fighting terrorists of Al Qaida in Iraq in Haditha. (“Fighting terrorists associated with Al Qaida” is stronger language than “serving.” The American people will side more with someone actively fighting a terrorist organization that is tied to 9/11 than with someone who is idly “serving,” like in a way one “serves” a casserole. It’s semantics, but in reporting and journalism, words spin the story.)

more of this at:
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003602793

[acmavm]

1. Same memo, previous post...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1173010