Hi Everyone,
The news media is currently under reporting a major story from Iraq. It is getting some attention but the stories are buried and CNN.com didn't even have the story on its page for a full day! It seems that a full platoon of US Army Reserve troops from South Carolina (343rd Quartermaster Company) refused to drive a convoy of fuel trucks in Iraq recently because they were dissatisfied with the equipment they had (they insist it is worn out and unsafe) and with the lack of escorting troops. The unit has been in Iraq for over 9 months and these type of convoys have been attacked frequently. Technically, this was an organized refusal to obey a lawful order by superior officers. However, their claimed reason for refusing makes this very dangerous politically. Here is a link to the LA Times story on the issue (on their webpage, the story link was nested under another headline that wasn't directly related). The Army is handling this with kid gloves. They are saying things "valid concerns" etc. The last thing the Bush administration wants right now is a major story to get out that volunteer troops who are otherwise "gung ho" are so unhappy about their equipment and troop strength that they would risk being charged with mutiny in protest.
Here is the Webster's revised unabridged definition of the word mutiny: "Insurrection against constituted authority, particularly military or naval authority; concerted revolt against the rules of discipline or the lawful commands of a superior officer; hence, generally, forcible resistance to rightful authority; insubordination."
This is a very disturbing development and is reminiscent of of the kinds of things that happened in incidents when moral collapsed in Vietnam.
Comments? Discussion?
Saturday, October 16, 2004
Mutiny Incident Among US Troops in Iraq?!
Posted by Raised By Republicans at 9:41 PM
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5 comments:
This ought to be getting much wider coverage. It underscores the need for Kerry's "help is on the way." We may be surprised to find a large number of troops voting for a veteran who promises to help them, over a current administration that actually cut combat pay.
The hook for Kerry is that they are complaining about equipment shortages. He can say, "While this mutiny is a serious matter, so is the shortage of materiel. Supporting our troops is not about words - it's about deeds. Help is on the way."
You are correct, of course, that he cannot be seen as making political hay out of the disobedience.
Regardless of what Kerry should or shouldn't do I'm upset that the press isn't reporting this. They gave MUCH more attention to whether Kerry should have mentioned Mary Cheney's sexual orientation or not. You tell me which is more important.
The question is this: is the lack of coverage due to incompetence (not realizing this is an important story) or to pressure from the White House not to run stories that "could undermine the troops."
When has lack of information or anyone to go on the record EVER stopped the 24 hour news cycle from making a stink about something? Besides, its not like everone ran a headline story and then said, "since we don't have the details we'll shut up now." They never even fully reported the basic story. What stories were run were deep inside websites or barely mentioned in long lists of "things that happened today."
This is a huge story that most Americans don't even know happened at all - forget about details.
There's an article in today's LA Times, "Ind Defense of Their Soldiers that details how relatives of the troops are trying everything they can to get the word out to the public. Here's one of my favorite parts.
[Theresa] Hill got a recorded message from her daughter, Pvt. Amber McClenny, 21, asking her to "raise pure hell." Hill started calling the families of the detained soldiers one by one. "We did it on our own initiative," Hill said. "I just called 'em up and said: 'This is what has happened to your soldier, and they are begging for media attention.' They want this to go as big as it can go."
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