From: ABlainey@aol.com
Date: Thu May 15 2003 - 19:47:14 MDT
This for me was one of the most conclusive pieces of evidence that much of
the news coverage of the war was little more than Theatrics and propaganda.
I watched all the live coverage the night Jessica Lynch was Ahem...
'rescued'. I saw the breaking news reports, as the word spread. Most
important of all, I saw the live broadcast from the hospital barley a few
hours after it happened. This was shown on SKY news. I didn't see any US
correspondents at the hospital, despite switching between CNN and FOX.
Strange as Fox is SKY's sister company.
The reporter interviewed several eye witnesses, including Dr Houssona. They
all said the same thing. The US special forces burst in shouting and
screaming, firing around the rooms and snatched her while everyone just
watched in amazement.
They said she had been brought in by Iraqi troops who had left without
questioning her several days before. She had been very well cared for and was
treated better than the other patients at the hospital. They also said that
most of the time she was there, she cried on her bed saying she just wanted
to go home.
Strangely this footage was only shown a couple of times later that hour and
then wasn't shown again. Also, very strange that an allegedly 'Heavily
defended' area was completely free of any iraqi soldiers. So much so, that
the film crew were able to drive to the hospital without seeing any, and were
free to walk around interviewing whoever they pleased.
Later in the day General Brooks gave his briefing and played it up as if they
had repeated the Mogadishu mile and taken on the entire Iraqi army, just to
save her.
It made me laugh out loud.
Im in no doubt that the rescue operation would have been planned to a high
degree and that the forces involved executed it as they would any rescue in
hostile territory. I can also believe that the Doctors and people at the
hospital could elaborate about the events. At the end of it, It just added
more proof that you shouldn't believe a damn thing, unless you see it with
your own eyes.
As for Jessica being a hero. In my book, anyone that put their life on the
line for their country is a hero. She should be proud of that.
What happened in Nasiriya, was just the retrieval of a scared girl who
shouldn't have been captured in the first place. I think there are many other
people who are more deserving of the title 'Hero.'
Alex
>
......snip
But Iraqi doctors in Nasiriya say they provided the
best treatment they could for the soldier in the midst
of war. She was assigned the only specialist bed in
the hospital and one of only two nurses on the floor.
"I examined her, I saw she had a broken arm, a broken
thigh and a dislocated ankle," said Dr Harith
a-Houssona, who looked after her.
"There was no [sign of] shooting, no bullet inside her
body, no stab wound - only road traffic accident. They
want to distort the picture. I don't know why they
think there is some benefit in saying she has a bullet
injury."
Witnesses told us that the special forces knew that
the Iraqi military had fled a day before they swooped
on the hospital.
Dr Uday was surprised by the manner of the rescue
"We were surprised. Why do this? There was no
military, there were no soldiers in the hospital,"
said Dr Anmar Uday, who worked at the hospital.
........snip
General Vincent Brooks
When footage of the rescue was released, General
Vincent Brooks, US spokesman in Doha, said: "Some
brave souls put their lives on the line to make this
happen, loyal to a creed that they know that they'll
never leave a fallen comrade."
...........................snip
>>>>
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