U.S. military admits error in news releases

[nostatic]

Isn't Master Race on after Dragonball Z on the Cartoon Network?

[fintstone]

Originally posted by gavinlit
"Seems to me the main difference between the military and other arms of government is that the military admits its mistakes"

In our country they're all pretty reluctant to admit mistakes - military or otherwise. They're usually pretty happy to admit something when there's no other choice but only once they've been pinned down or backed into a corner.

edit - and fiddling or fabricating a quote is not what I'd call a mistake. Closer to deliberate misrepresentation or (dare I say it) a lie. Getting caught out might be considered a mistake though.

So how would you define articles where the main stream media "fiddled" about the military and printed? ..These are samples of only today's corrections. There are many each day.

(New York Times)...The New York Times
An article on Saturday about a federal judge's order regarding photographs and videotapes related to the Abu Ghraib prison scandal misstated a deadline and the response by Defense Department lawyers. The government was given until Friday to black out some identifying details in the material, not to release it. Defense Department lawyers met that deadline, but asked the court to block the public release of the materials. They did not refuse to cooperate with an order for the materials' release.

(Arizona Daily Star (Tucson))...The Arizona Daily Star
An article about military recruiting Monday on A1 should have said that a recent increase in maximum recruiting age from 35 to 39 applied only to National Guard and Reserve recruits, not to active duty troops.

[cool_chick]

And then you have corrections and media fiddling with the military like this too:

Newspapers sent same letter signed by different soldiers
By Ledyard King, Gannett News Service

WASHINGTON — Letters from hometown soldiers describing their successes rebuilding Iraq have been appearing in newspapers across the country as U.S. public opinion on the mission sours.

But many of them are the same form letter.

A Gannett News Service search found identical letters in 11 newspapers. They were signed by different soldiers with the 2nd Battalion of the 503rd Airborne Infantry Regiment, also known as "The Rock." The five-paragraph letter relates soldiers' efforts to re-establish police and fire departments and build water and sewer plants in the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk, where the unit is based.



http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2003-10-12-iraq-letters-usat_x.htm

[artplumber]

The most applicable thread: forums.pelicanparts.com/showthread.php?threadid=232122

[cool_chick]

Awwww artplumber. Why do you have such low standards for people who you pay to work for you?

[artplumber]

Originally posted by cool_chick
Awwww artplumber. Why do you have such low standards for people who you pay to work for you?

Waaall CC, how many folks have you dealt with in the gubmint? Guess I'm just a cynic or accustomed to filling every form out four times so it can get lost three times, but still get through.

Classic case back in the 80's: I'm in the LA fed bldg for the INS (back when it was still that). Had to go there because they kept losing (third time) my acknowledgement letter from the "selective service" so I could join up to the good ol USA. Now mind you, they only will listen to your question or take another copy of the letter if you are one of the first twenty-five people in line that day (first 25 people for all of LA+ counties!). So I have been hanging out since around 03:30 (we used to have some fun times in the line). Around 1500 I complete my business (giving them another copy), and as I'm walking out I take a glance into an open doorway. There are all of these cardboard file boxes partially full and falling over w/files piled on the floor and papers spilling out of the folders - looked like immigration papers to me and easy to understand why they can't find that d@mn letter!

I don't believe in the Ludlum paranoia (just read one). Hard to fly lak an eagle if alls you got's us chickens.


ps Those with gubmint jobs should not necessarily be insulted (unless you feel like it) This does not apply to everyone.

So.... blah, blah, blah

[gavinlit]

fint - I'd say depending on the context, the intention of the article and the audience it may be either a mistake or a deliberate fiddle. I know the media are involved in fiddles (or downright laziness and not checking sources) as it happens in this country as well. The question is really whether the mistake/fiddle plays a significant part in the context of the article or reveals that the author lied or fabricated quotes. Don't worry - I know it happens. I'd call bs just the same as for the military.

[cool_chick]

Originally posted by gavinlit
fint - I'd say depending on the context, the intention of the article and the audience it may be either a mistake or a deliberate fiddle. I know the media are involved in fiddles (or downright laziness and not checking sources) as it happens in this country as well. The question is really whether the mistake/fiddle plays a significant part in the context of the article or reveals that the author lied or fabricated quotes. Don't worry - I know it happens. I'd call bs just the same as for the military.

Well they announced yesterda they're opening an investigation to see if it was fabricated and perhaps change policies.

[kach22i]

Originally posted by cool_chick
And then you have corrections and media fiddling with the military like this too:

Newspapers sent same letter signed by different soldiers
By Ledyard King, Gannett News Service

WASHINGTON — Letters from hometown soldiers describing their successes rebuilding Iraq have been appearing in newspapers across the country as U.S. public opinion on the mission sours.

But many of them are the same form letter.

A Gannett News Service search found identical letters in 11 newspapers. They were signed by different soldiers with the 2nd Battalion of the 503rd Airborne Infantry Regiment, also known as "The Rock." The five-paragraph letter relates soldiers' efforts to re-establish police and fire departments and build water and sewer plants in the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk, where the unit is based.



http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2003-10-12-iraq-letters-usat_x.htm

I remember reading that several of the soldiers objected to their names being used on the standard letters. They said they did not realize what they signed up for - apparently it was an organized campaign by a GOP offshoot group. Politics.............when peoples lives are at stake.

I have it on very good authority that a liberal smear group sent the letters to the newspapers as part of a disinformation campaign. Investigations are under way and more will be revealed in the near future.

[kach22i]

Originally posted by Mark Wilson
a liberal smear group

My Thesaurus describes a liberal smear group as: Jane Fonda on a bus with her friends and a bottle of vegetable oil.