(PROFOUNDLY DISTURBING)Media No Longer Taking Flak?

[MADem]

Apparently, PLANTS in the scripted BUSHCO-TROOP media availabilities are just hunky dory with this admin. DISGRACEFUL!!! http://mediacitizen.blogspot.com/2005/10/media-no-longer-taking-flak.html

...The soldier in question is Master Sgt. Corine Lombardo; she works in public affairs for the military as spokesperson to the media. While she's emerged elsewhere in mainstream reports on Iraq, she hasn't always been identified in her role.

A New York Times' story from April correctly cited Lombardo as a "military spokesperson." Another report in the Albany Times-Union merely cited her as a "24-year Guard veteran." In his report, Times-Union scribe Tim O'Brien quoted Lombardo extensively as she praised the hard work of her division and drew special attention to their successful cooperation with local forces to "rebuild Iraqi infrastructure."

"I enjoy what I'm doing over there and enjoy getting to know the Iraqi people," Lombardo tells the Times-Union stenographer. "The support of my family has been tremendous."

It tugs at the heart, but there are likely more insidious forces at play. Lombardo's job is to make the handover to Iraqi forces look good. During yesterday's PR stunt, she got into a pre-scripted back and forth with the president:

SERGEANT LOMBARDO: I can tell you over the past 10 months we've seen a tremendous increase in the capabilities and the confidences of our Iraqi security force partners. We've been working side-by-side, training and equipping 18 Iraqi army battalions. Since we began our partnership, they have improved greatly, and they continue to develop and grow into sustainable forces. Over the next month, we anticipate seeing at least one-third of those Iraqi forces conducting independent operations.

THE PRESIDENT: That's important. The American people have got to know — and I appreciate you bringing that up, Sergeant Major, about how — what the progress is like. In other words, we've got a measurement system —

SERGEANT LOMBARDO: Well, together —

THE PRESIDENT: I'm sorry, go ahead.

SERGEANT LOMBARDO: I'm sorry, just, together with our coalition forces, we've captured over 50 terrorists, as well as detained thousands of others that have ties to the insurgency. And I believe it is these accomplishments and the numerous accomplishments from our task force that will provide a safe and secure environment for the referendum vote.

THE PRESIDENT: Well, I appreciate that. There's no question that we need to stay on the offense, and we need to stay on the offense with well-trained Iraqi forces, side-by-side the finest military ever — ever to exist, and that's the United States military.

SERGEANT LOMBARDO: That it is, Mr. President. Thank you.

[Erika]

1. The best info is at

www.icasualties.org

[daleo]

3. 5 dead in "vehicle accidents" in the last few days.

It makes you wonder.

[sofa king]

29. I have some thoughts on that.

The vehicular deaths are probably legit, but the reason for them still points straight back at corruption and incompetency.

People are dying in vehicles because they have to travel at top speed in an attempt to evade improvised explosive devices. There are not enough troops to protect the length of the highways. When the invasion began, there were not enough troops to protect the enormous Iraqi artillery shell dumps, so they were bypassed at the beginning of the war and comandeered by the insurgents, who use them to make IEDs. U.S. vehicles aren't armored well enough to protect against the IEDs which the insurgents regularly set up along known travel routes. Therefore, a vehicle's best defense is to go like a bat out of hell, which leads to vehicular deaths.

There are several attractive options for re-outfitting our armed forces to reflect this reality, but two and a half years later we must conclude that this is not a priority for the Bush Administration. To paraphrase Mr. Rumsfeld: troops and vehicles are fungible. It must be cheaper (or more lucrative) to replace them when they are destroyed.

[daleo]

33. I have also read that driving without lights is common

Headlights make you a target, but driving without them leads to accidents.

[beam me up scottie]

2. Say what?

"she works in public affairs for the military as spokesperson to the media"

She's a PR shill?

[MADem]

4. Yep, A poor plant in a FAILED public affairs endeavor

And trust me, this kid is a TOOL. Do not go after her, find her bosses, and their bosses, and so on, and so on, and so on.

She is just the pathetic messenger. But what they did is disgraceful.

[beam me up scottie]

8. Both my brothers are in the NG.

One of them is in Ramadi.

I have no intention of going after the flunky.

Even if she didn't want to participate, (which is entirely possible, from what my bros tell me, dimson has few friends in the NG) she wouldn't have had a choice.

But man, am I ever going to spread this near and far.

[MADem]

9. I am retired military

And I understand the ugly dynamic. My beef is with the fucking assholes in the five sided funny farm, and their boss, the Monkey King, who put these kids in this kind of bullshit situation.

This is not my military. What they are doing to these youngsters is reprehensible. SHAMEFUL. DISGRACEFUL.

I am fucking apoplectic every time I see them screwing with these kids. It almost makes me want to go back to tilt at windmills....but not quite.

I am well away from all that shit....

[beam me up scottie]

12. Ex-Marine here.

Couldn't stay in long enough to retire.

Waaaaay too many Kool-aid drunks in there.

And you're right, those kids are disposable pawns who have been let down by the people who are supposed to protect them.

[MADem]

13. I understand what you are saying

but hey, once a Marine, always a Marine...we simply must remember the good, push aside the bad.

It has gotten so ugly for these kids. And I rather naively thought it could not get worse.

I guess all we can hope is that this too, shall pass...

[beam me up scottie]

14. That pathetic play yesterday

was horrible.

As I watched it, I started laughing but ended up crying.

How can so many people be so blind ?

Remember the last part of Ray-gun's term?

His dementia was so pronounced and obvious and yet they still tried to hide the fact that he was little more than an animated houseplant.

That was NOTHING compared to this.

I have no words for what this is.

[ElectroPrincess]

21. Just a suggestion, IMO ...

"Remember the last part of Ray-gun's term?

His dementia was so pronounced and obvious and yet they still tried to hide the fact that he was little more than an animated houseplant.

That was NOTHING compared to this.

I have no words for what this is."

IMO, Bush is showing some "very classic" signs of what can be termed as PRESENILE DEMENTIA. Plus albeit I'm a lowly masters level scientist in the field of Physiological Psychology, I'm far from the ONLY scientist who believe this may be a possible explanation of Bush's seemingly mental and emotional de-compensation over the past 2-3 years.

http://www.adbuzz.com/bushbuzz.htm

http://www.onlinejournal.com/Special_Reports/091804Mazza/091804mazza.html

BTW who is in charge of Bush's MEDICAL monitoring? Can anyone make me smart about this angle?

[Ilsa]

22. Wouldn't that be a doctor at Bethesda?

I think the last one presented his public work up as being in the top 1% for his age group for fitness.

I think if Bush* was oriented to day of the week and year, they passed him on mental.

[ElectroPrincess]

23. Yes, Bethesda Naval Hospital - I'd like to know ...

exactly who signs off on especially - his mental health status? Something both mentally and emotionally is *not right* with "Dear Leader" and I'm certain that it does not have anything to do with stress and/or what can be considered part of the normal aging process. :crazy:

[Ilsa]

25. ITA, I have thought for a long time that there was something

wrong with, even as governor, but it wasn't as pronounced then. I think they must put presidents on drugs or something.

When he was governor, I thought he was a bit self absorbed with his own interests, a lazy thinker, and overly religious. Now he seems arrogant, hystrionic, narcissistic, and his physical tics and demeanor seems to indicate there is something neurologically wrong with him.

[MADem]

26. He has a personal physician, usually an 0-6, very experienced

with a TS-plus clearance (unusual for the average medical type).

I agree with you, there is something wrong. I wonder if he is bipolar and is not complying with his treatment regimen.

His face and neck are thinner of late, but his belly looks soft and bloated. He has that 'old man' look about him. All he needs are polyester trousers with the crotch hitting right around the knee, the belt just below the man boobs, and an oversized golf hat to round out the picture....

[HamdenRice]

24. LOL --- I thought you wrote "PRESIDENTIAL DEMENTIA"

at first. But it does seem that living under that much stress in the WH drives each and every president fu*king insane. Johnson crying over the war dead and being paranoid, taking a crap in front of Humphrey; Nixon as crazy as he could be. Ford was maybe too dumb to realize the pressure he should have been under. Carter running from killer rabbits. Reagan completely brain toasted. shrub the first, vomiting in the lap of the Japanese prime minister and so high on anti psycotics he could barely speak. Even Clinton at the height of the impeachment period on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

I like that "presidential dementia syndrome"!

[Scairp]

35. Kid!?

This woman is no "kid" if she's been in the Guard for 24 years. She must be in her 40's, officially making her not even close to being a kid.

[Miss Chybil]

5. Yep. nt

[punpirate]

6. Yup, that's exactly what she is...

... and from the NG, to boot.

[pecwae]

18. That's what the PAO does

I was with 1st SOCOM PAO for 4 years. Coverup, misdirect, embellish, lie, mislead, stonewall; that's their function. When I enlisted I thought I would be writing news and feature stories, but that's only a portion of the job. Although I am proud of my service I still feel dirty about certain aspects of the duties I performed.

[Hissyspit]

31. It is a journalist/propaganda job. And those things are inherently in

opposition.
True journalism can't really exist within the military structure.

I notice how defensive my PAO soldier students get when I bring up those issues. I don't accuse anyone of anything, just bring up the journalism vs. propaganda issues.

[beam me up scottie]

7. Well, what do you know...

Iraqi army graduates mark transfer of responsibility from Task Force Liberty

By Master Sgt. Corine Lombardo
42nd Infantry Division Public Affairs

<snip>

TIKRIT, Iraq – More than 150 new Iraqi soldiers graduated in a commencement ceremony at the 4th Iraqi Army Training Academy here September 24.

<snip>

more...
http://www.42id.army.mil/newsstory/2%20IA%20Graduation.htm

[rodeodance]

10. She was the one who said that she had seen Jr in NY. She gets

around.

[beam me up scottie]

11. I think

that they had to find some sort of "connection" in order to show the peeps that this imbecile is really a human being.

So they invented a meeting and he gets to pretend that he actually remembers the people they put in his photo-op sessions.

It failed miserably.

[Scurrilous]

15. Another plant?

The blog of SGT Ron Long, one of those chosen to speak with Bush:

http://278medic.blogspot.com/


Wonder if he's a republican...?



This is me with TN Senator Bill Ketron (R) posing for a picture or two while we were both at the Marshall County Republican Women's group meeting. The MCRW and I have been corresponding via letters and email and they even sent me a care package or two, so I wanted to return the favor and share some of my experiences in Iraq, while I was home on leave. During the meeting, we feasted on fried chicken and various other wonderful, home-made dishes and desserts! Meeting Senator Ketron was a bonus.

[beam me up scottie]

16. Oh for crying out loud...

who wrote this, Jar Jar McClellan ???

First of all, we were told that we would be speaking with the President of the United States, our Commander-in-Chief, President Bush, so I believe that it would have been totally irresponsible for us NOT to prepare some ideas, facts or comments that we wanted to share with the President.
We were given an idea as to what topics he may discuss with us, but it's the President of the United States; He will choose which way his conversation with us may go.
We practiced passing the microphone around to one another, so we wouldn't choke someone on live TV. We had an idea as to who we thought should answer what types of questions, unless President Bush called on one of us specifically.
****
It makes my stomach ache to think that we are helping to preserve free speech in the US, while the media uses that freedom to try to RIP DOWN the President and our morale, as US Soldiers. They seem to be enjoying the fact that they are tearing the country apart.

Someone needs to take away Junior's html priveledges.
:freak:

[MADem]

27. It will make his STOMACH ACHE if the stupid asshole gets shot

by one of those freedom loving peoples who do not WANT us in THEIR country! What a stupid fool. I feel sorry for him, actually. He is in a shitty situation and flailing about, trying to justify his participation with flag waving and, in contravention of military regulations, attending PARTISAN political events in UNIFORM.

He is stupid, and he does not realize it, but he is just fodder to those bastards. A useful tool....

[teryang]

17. Sgt Lon Wrong

What a fool. Isn't attending political events in uniform illegal?

[mom cat]

19. So was she at 9-11 for PR purposes too?

[mom cat]

20. Remember that annoyingly cutsy remark Busk made about

"recognozing her from 9-11"?Was she a PR plant there too?
Disgusting.

[MADem]

28. Was that before or after the putz dropped his earpiece??

Heh, heh....he can't even follow stage directions when they do not require moving about.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

30. Wow, we have 18 battalions of PR troops

all trained and read to go!

Only one is for combat duty, though.

Sounds about right.

[MADem]

32. Well, they are desperate for civil affairs types

who are a few steps to the right of public information/public affairs flaks, and who have to work harder for the same level of disrespect! Those poor bastards have to be able to do government and community administration and interface, and they are also called upon to do the stupidass 'good news' interviews. Hard to do when there isn't much in the way of good news...

The public affairs weenies just have to memorize what is called a RTQ (response to queries) on a regular basis, so that no matter how a question is asked, if it is on Subject X, they parrot the same Subject X response, be it in Tikrit or Basra.

[janx]

34. I saw that teleconference the other day,

and it just sickened me. Not only was it demeaning to the kids over there, but it was truly insulting to the American people.

This administration thinks that the American people are stupid.